Gang Device
by kisstheskygently
Summary: He's a gang member, she's a nurse. What happens when he accidentally gets her involved in something she isn't even supposed to know about? He puts her and his best friends in danger, and this time he might not be able to stop the enemy or even himself.
1. Chapter 1

**So I left for awhile, and I pretty much left a story I had began open and unfinished. Since I forgot my account info and changed my e-mail, I made this account and am going to re-do the story. (:  
**

**If you read this and I left, I'm sorry. If you haven't, enjoy and review. I'll post one of the old chapters every day and work on the new ones, so updates shouldn't take that long. Buut I'm working on another story, so yeah. You should read that one, too. (:**

**--**

**Chapter One,  
The New Patient, The New Nurse**

"Fuck! The cops!" The screeching whine of sirens could be heard in the distance, getting louder by the second.

A ripple of hesitation went through the unorganized mass of men and the few women, and a split second later there was a flurry of movement as people jumped to move. They charged, roughly shoving unwanted enemies from their way and grabbing arms to pull friends along.

Soon, the field was almost deserted; compared to a moment before it looked abandoned and forlorn, like it regretted what its neutral ground brought to itself. Two shaking bodies were struggling to their feet, one managing to get to his knees with his hands braced on the ground. The last body remained unmoving and lifeless as the flashing of blue and red appeared on the sparse grass.

--

"There was a gang fight?"

A female spoke up, entering the staff room where two of her colleagues were sipping at Styrofoam cups of coffee. She went and got a cone-shaped cup of water from the dispenser near where they were talking and filled it, setting her purse on the nearby couch.

Kagome Higurashi- she was the new nurse, and just about nineteen. At other hospitals she was considered to young to work regularly as a nurse, but here at Sengoku Jidai hospital the dire need for nurses and even doctors made the hospital managers immediately hire young interns that were so ready to work, underage or not. As long as they still attended classes and eventually earned a degree, and as long as they were registered as an intern, nobody bothered to say anything about it.

"Yeah," replied another nurse, Rin, shaking her head. "They caught on quick, though, so less were injured- two were demons."

"One was half," Eri put in, nodding. "Like she said, the cops came quickly. Only three went down. The boy is up on the third floor, the demon ones are on this one. One was hurt pretty badly."

Sipping at her water, Kagome frowned. Gang fights were not uncommon around here, but usually demons weren't injured. Or if they were, they were gone in less than a couple hours or didn't come to the hospital at all. "What gangs?"

"That one gang that no one knows who the boss is and that gang of wolf demons," Rin said, tossing her cup in the trash. "We think the two injured demons fought each other or something."

"Ahh," Kagome replied, nodding. "I see. D'you know who got assigned to them?"

"Nah," Eri said, heading towards the door. "We figure old Kaede. Neither of us got them, and as far as we know, neither did Ayumi or Yuka, as far as I know." Raising a hand in farewell, Eri went through the door as Rin grabbed a folder.

"Here's your folder, Kagome," she said brightly. "I'd better get going. Some old guy needs me to feed him breakfast…" Making a face, she headed towards the door. "Later."

"Bye Rin," Kagome said after her, opening the manila folder in her hands. She sighed when she saw the name and the description of her new patient- this was bound to be interesting. Heading towards the door, she read the profile aloud.

"Takashi, Inuyasha. Hanyou. Twenty-one. Six foot one. Gold eyes and silver…hair?" The female's voice stumbled, as if confused. "Hair?" her brown eyes jumped back to the word Hanyou, which explained the strange coloring- she should have known.

"Have you met your new patient, Kagome?"

The young nurse looked up, biting her lip. She smiled when she saw the old woman coming down the clean hallway- the senior nurse, old Kaede. The woman was much respected and always ready to lend a word or two; her experience often made others sought her thinking. She had grown to something of a grandmother for this Kagome, seeing as the young had interned for the old.

"Yes, a Hanyou by the name of Inuyasha. I'll get trouble from him, no doubt, with his demon side." Kagome sighed and fell into step with the old woman, walking down the hall with her.

"Aye. He'll mouth off, no doubt, or try to sweet you. A trait he picked up from that lecher he calls his best friend." Kaede smiled and stopped before the room, looking at the dull silver handle. "I always thought that he had bad influences; he was a sweet boy, though some things eventually turned him hard."

"Kaede, I wonder how you know so much," Kagome said, shaking her head and turning the knob and taking a paper from the manila folder taped to the door.

"Oh, I've handled this one before. I'll check on you two later. He shouldn't be around long, though. He tends to heal fast- even for a Hanyou. He should be asleep now, however. He was beaten pretty hard."

Nodding, Kagome opened the door. "Thanks Kaede." Walking inside, she shut the door behind her and gasped at the sight- it was definitely not what she was expecting.

There was the Hanyou, with the deserted hospital robes tossed onto the unmade bed. Instead, he was pulling a ripped shirt over his muscled chest, making Kagome stare and blush. Luckily for her, he had already yanked on his pants. That would have been even worse.

Noticing her, he grinned showing pointed canines. "New nurse, eh? Remind me to get 'badly' stabbed and kicked more often," he remarked, making her blush an even deeper shade of red. Reaching down, he picked up a shoe and pulled it on, sitting on the uncomfortable chair beside the bed.

Regaining herself, Kagome went and grabbed the other shoe so he couldn't have it and held it from his reach. "Sit, let me make sure you are okay," she demanded in what she supposed to be a dominating tone- she usually got the response she wanted. He, however, found her manner amusing, and slightly irritating, which he proved by his 'keh'.

Standing, he grabbed her wrist and brought her closer, pulling her into him. "As much as I like to play doctor," he said smoothly, "I have to go. But when we do, remember I prefer less clothes and _I _like to be the doctor." Tweaking the shoe from her hands, he pulled it on, leaving her speechless.

"Besides, wench, I'm fine." Giving her another look-over, he walked from the room and closed the door with a snap.

Kagome stared, remembering the exceedingly cute ears and the gorgeous eyes. Lost in that thought, she snapped out of it when she realized something- did he call her a wench?

Frowning, she jumped when the door was opened, admitting Kaede. "Where is Inuyasha?" she asked, coming inside. She crumpled an empty paper water cup in her hands and tossed it in the nearby trashcan.

"Oh…he…left," Kagome said, still frowning, reverting her eyes back to staring at the door. "He seemed fine, wasn't limping and didn't seem irritated." Quite the contrary, but Kaede didn't need know that. She didn't want to get a bad reputation within her first week. She needed to know how to handle tough patients, and getting flustered when seeing a bare chest was definitely not a way to prove that she could.

"Stupid boy. Always impatient," Kaede muttered with a touch of annoyance, going over and taking Kagome's clipboard. "It will be his downfall, and I hope his demon ears hear me," she said very loudly. Balling Inuyasha's bio into a ball, she tossed it into the trash, though it did not follow her cup. Instead, it bounced out making her sigh. Holding back a smile, Kagome crouched and got the paper, disposing of it while Kaede started to speak again.

"Come, you can have another new patient, from the same gang…Pretty beat up, but he actually is asleep. This one is human, too. He won't give you a hard time. Poor boy doesn't even look like he belongs in a gang… But I suppose if you must survive…"

Kagome nodded, pushing the Hanyou from her mind. She needed a clear head- she would go have a glass of very cold water before going up to this new boy, and make that scoffing, flirting face disappear from her mind. Rude, arrogant, stupid Hanyou. Playing doctor. Psh.

As Kaede looked at her, Kagome finally replied- she didn't want the elder nurse to suspect anything. "Right. Thank you, Kaede."

**--**

**There you are. (: Review, please and thanks- its part of my motivation.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I decided to post another chapter today, just because. So here it is. (:**

**Chapter Two,  
Old Food, Koga, and Kidnapping**

"You're out early," the female voice was surprised as Inuyasha slouched through the front door, tossing his jacket to the side. "Old Kaede actually let you out so soon?"

"Keh, yeah right. You know better than that, Sango." Falling back on the couch, he rubbed his arm in irritation. His arm had healed, but it still twitched a bit. It seemed the knife or claws or whatever had touched a nerve or something. "Damn Kouga. Nah, but the old woman wasn't assigned to me anyway, or I'd be about ten minutes later. It was some new girl." A smirk played the lips as the meeting was reminisced- it had been way too easy to get out of that place. Damn, he hated the way it smelled, and now it was all over him. He'd have to shower.

"Was she hot?" Another figure made his entrance, a male. Tossing a beer to his friend, he sat on the arm of the chair facing him- he had obviously heard Inuyasha coming in. "Maybe I should attempt and make Kouga stab at me…" He grinned and sat down on the arm of the chair that Sango was sitting in, leaning back against it.

Inuyasha grunted and cracked the can open, taking a swig before lowering it. "She's alright. Innocent looking, definitely not like the women we have hanging around here. A virgin. Looks like a little like Kikyou."

A smirk slid over Miroku's face, tugging at his lips. "Intriguing."

Rolling her eyes, Sango got up from her perch in the chair that Miroku had settled on and shoved him, making his drink spill all over his chest. "C'mon, you two. We've got to be somewhere."

Getting up, Inuyasha frowned. "Where the hell to? I just got home, damnit. Speaking of home, how the hell did you get in?"

Ignoring his second question, Sango's face turned grim. "The hospital. Apparently, one of Koga's cronies- Ginta, I think- is in there. He's the one that jumped in to keep you from swiping Kouga. We need to get him as he comes out, Sesshomaru's orders. And we need to see Kohaku, he was hurt." Pulling on her jacket, she shrugged- she knew her brother was okay, she had received a phone call from the hospital that morning after worrying half the night. She just hoped that he would take the news of having to stay two days well; he tended to have a temper, despite how calm he was most the time. He was generally a good boy, but he hated being told he where he had to be for the next couple days, especially by someone he didn't know. He was tough, Kohaku was. "And for Ginta we have to, you know, _persuade _him to talk. The head wolf is up to something."

"As for your house," Miroku commented from the floor, "you left the door unlocked." Staying on the floor and not making a move to get up, he drained what was left of his beer. Not much, considering half of it was on his clothes.

Smirking, Inuyasha drained his own drink and pulled Miroku up from the floor by his sleeve. "This should be easy enough. All you have to do is flash him, Sango, and we'll have him."

Sango snorted and opened the door. "Sure. If Ginta's anything like Miroku, who would probably enjoy it as much as him. But then I doubt he would be able to talk."

"Not denying that I'd enjoy it," the light airy voice came from behind them, causing Inuyasha to roll his eyes and walk faster and Sango to growl as warningly as a human could, "but I'd rather not a wolf get the very nice view that is reserved for me- that would be traitorous to the affair that we know will happen, dear Sango..." A hand reached from the man, gliding forward to give a nice squeeze to the ass in front of him.

After that, a resounding smack was heard down the street as the three made their way a couple blocks- a very red-faced Miroku (and the coloration wasn't from blushing) was trailing behind, an annoyed Sango half a step behind a Hanyou who was trying not to laugh.

--

"At least this one was human," said Rin sympathetically, patting Kagome on her shoulder. "He couldn't have snapped your neck if he wanted to." She bit her lip to keep from laughing, but it was a little difficult.

A light sigh escaped the lips of the young nurse. "Thanks, Rin," she said dryly, taking a sip of the water she had gotten before her shift ended. "That helps so much." Looking down at her clothes, she made a face at the mess. "A human with a temper from hell. Disgusting- hospital mashed potatoes are like cement. They'll never come off, I'll need new scrubs."

A suppressed giggle was turned into a cough and a glare was shot at Rin- this was not a laughing matter, she had flood plastered on her clothes. "I'm sorry, Kags, but its kind of funny. I mean…" At the look on Kagome's face, she changed her view quickly. A mad Kagome was worse than the old temperamental demon lecher Rin was currently feeding. "I mean, bad, mean, rude, nasty patient?"

"Better." Kagome rolled her eyes and brushed hair from her face, twitching the hem of her shirt. "I'll have to go home and change before I go to class. I can't sit there, smelling of bad ham and mushy apples." Standing straight, she grabbed her purse and smiled, though it looked forced. It had been a very long day, and she was glad she was leaving. "I'll see you tomorrow, Rin."

"Alright, Kagome- later. I've got to go give a sponge bath…" Making a face at the prospect, the girl waved and exited the staff room, stepping around and greeting Kaede as she came in. Kagome would have normally called a sympathetic good-bye to Rin, but she wasn't exactly in a sympathetic mood. Besides, Rin had laughed.

Kaede looked at Kagome's state and stopped herself from smiling, knowing that it would only anger the young nurse. "Did you have some trouble with your new patient?" she asked in monotone, going and getting herself some coffee.

"I would have preferred the Hanyou," Kagome said lightly, closing the cap of the water and heading towards the door- she did not take it back, even though she knew her last statement was false. "I've got to go to class- I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good-bye, child. And you might want to wash your hair- it smells of warm milk…"

Making a face at her older friend, who she knew wanted to laugh, she left the hospital and headed towards the entrance, zipping her jacket over her uniform. This was embarrassing. He had just gotten so mad that she wouldn't let him go that he had dumped his lunch tray on her! Or rather... he slammed his fist, making everything flip, food and tray and milk and all, all over her. He had been fine before; very calm and even grateful- she had thought him a good change from the Hanyou that had been assigned to her earlier, before his lunch was on her head. It was when she told him he would be here a couple days he had lost it.

'_Well_,' she thought, checking herself out at the front desk, '_he is a teenager. Like Souta- they both have mood swings. Stupid hormones…_' Walking out the front door and ranting about teenage boys in her head, she stopped when she saw three figures approach the hospital grounds. She didn't know two, but the third was unmistakably--

"Inuyasha?"

The half-demon's head snapped up and he glared at the nurse that was watching him. "Oh, nurse girl." He saw Miroku stand straighter and look from around his back from the corner of his eye. "Carry on, leave."

"What are you doing? You were signed out over three hours ago," Kagome replied, crossing her arms and not moving. "If I remember, you simply walked out." They were still about six feet apart, neither wanting to step towards the other.

"Yeah? Well, I have some business."

"Like what?"

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed; this girl was too nosy.

"We are here to see my brother." Sango stepped in, giving Kagome a polite smile. "Kohaku? Maybe that rings a bell…"

"Kohaku is asleep," she said, giving one nod. "He was under my care. He shouldn't wake up until tomorrow morning." Then something clicked- one of Kaede's patients was a wolf demon, coming from the fight yesterday as well. He was in pretty bad shape, Kagome was surprised he wasn't dead. "If you are looking for a wolf demon, he is also asleep. You'll be happy to know that you pounded him up pretty bad."

Miroku smiled a charming smile and stepped forward, thinking he could charm is way around her. "What makes you think we are here for the demon?" he asked. "If you wouldn't mind, however, we will make our way in to see Kohaku. So if you would just be on your way-"

"Even if I go, you don't know his room," Kagome pointed out, still speaking about Ginta. She felt bad for him- from what she heard he wasn't strong at all, just loyal. "So you go and come back tomorrow, during visitor hours."

A laugh sounded through their ears and they turned, watching as a young man glided towards the earth from the wall he had apparently been standing on. "You told them," he said, stepping forward. Inuyasha's fangs were immediately bared, and his two companions grabbed his arms to hold him back.

"Who are you?" Kagome asked, noticing the Hanyou's reaction. "If you are here to fight, take it somewhere else. Then I won't be forced to call the authorities." Again, that dominating tone came out; she didn't really notice it didn't work on demons.

"I am Koga, here to see Ginta. I, however, don't plan on killing him. And who are you, lovely?" Koga stepped forward, closing in on the girl in question.

"Kagome. A nurse at the hospital," was the small reply as Koga came forward and grabbed both her hands, pulling them towards his chest. Her mouth was opened again to say something, but Inuyasha, who had stomped over towards the pair after escaping from Sango and Miroku, drowned her words out.

"What the hell do you want, wolf?" he asked, glaring into the blue eyes. "Go away, and come back during _visitor hours_." He gave Kagome an annoyed look, to which she only shrugged and nodded.

"That would make my life easier," she replied lightly, stepping between the two feuding demons and pulling her hands from Koga's. Again, her speech was interrupted when Miroku's voice sounded out.

"Inuyasha!"

The half demon looked up and saw something bright flying towards where he was standing, heading towards Koga and Kagome and himself. Grabbing Kagome around the waist before Kouga registered what was going on, Inuyasha jumped back as the light hit, scattering bits of the sidewalk and dust.

"Come on, let's get outta here," Inuyasha called to Miroku and Sango, who took off running after him. He ignored the protests of the nurse in his arms, and instead, to make things easier, he quickly moved her around and carried her bridal style, for a better grip. None of them dared to stop until they were safely closed in his house, where he deposited his load on the couch. "Ugh. Bitch, you smell like old food." He watched her swell up, and as soon as she was about to explode the front door was slammed shut.

"Who the hell?" Sango demanded, falling beside Kagome. "Couldn't have been Koga, it was headed for him too- did he escape?"

"Yes," Miroku said tightly, sitting on the chair as Inuyasha gave a snort in annoyance. "He jumped away, and he looked surprised at the attack himself. I _believe_ the attack was from Naraku. He never lets himself be seen."

"Yeah. The bastard has been giving Sesshomaru a lot of problems. Challenging him and shit. He never has the guts to do it himself, though, but he has a hell load of cronies." Inuyasha crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, thinking.

As it fell silent, Kagome stood. "Whoever this Naraku is, I doubt he is after me. I'm going to go-"

"No, you aren't. You were with us." Inuyasha stood from the wall and stopped her, grabbing her arm and pulling her from the doorway.

"So?"

"So, he'll be after you too, stupid. You were with us."

Standing, Miroku cleared his throat. "What Inuyasha means to say is that you have to lay low. Stay the night here, you can go tomorrow. After you were seen with us, we don't know what will happen next. Naraku might somehow connect you with us."

Kagome scoffed and shook her head. "I'm not even in your stupid gang," she replied. "So what does it matter?"

"It matters because you were there. Naraku will think you have some ties with us, so he'll do something to you to get to us. Then we'll have to do something to get you out of it, then you _will_ have ties." Sango nodded from her seat. "Miroku's right. Just stay here tonight, we'll drop you off at work tomorrow, then everything will be normal. Hopefully."

"Yeah. So go shower, wench, you reek."

Kagome turned to glare at Inuyasha. "You jerk. Where's the bathroom?" She wasn't going to decline a shower; she would argue her case later- she had class. Inuyasha motioned her to follow, leading her to the small hallway and pointing at a door on the right.

"Oh, and wench? Try not to remember that's where _I_ shower." Smirking at the blush that arose on her cheeks, he turned away. She doubted his words were only supposed to be territorial; they worked another way, for the picture of him shirtless popped up- exactly what that Hanyou wanted. Fighting the blush, she looked at him.

"Inuyasha?"

He turned, giving her a very slightly irritated, but mostly arrogant, look.

"Don't forget. I'll be naked. And this uniform? Let's just say it hides a lot, and there is a lot of room for imagination." Her voice was soft, and as she spoke, she got closer and closer until she was just a breaths width away. He could feel the tingle of her very warm breath on his face as he looked down at her, watching her lips. "Oh, and one last thing." Her hand snaked to his neck and fiddling with his shirt collar, making him grin and his fangs to poke over his lips. "Don't." Her voice rose with each syllable. "Call. Me. Wench!"

Shoving him back, she turned into the bathroom and slammed the door. He could kidnap her, but he wasn't going to degrade her. He could make her miss class- it was far too late to attempt to get ready in time now- but he couldn't seduce her. So she left a very confused-looking Hanyou in the hallway- he obviously wasn't used to being teased like that, and she felt somewhat accomplished. She'd show him.

Inuyasha blinked, staring at the closed door. He had just been teased. He was the one doing the teasing. Stupid ass wench. She would learn not to mess with him. No one messed with Inuyasha Takashi, except maybe in bed. He'd show her. He always did.

**Read and review, of course.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Don't own any of the Inuyasha characters or settings.**

Chapter Three,  
Two Phone Calls

"Dude. She's hot."

"And she has a temper. I doubt you will be calling her 'wench' again anytime soon, eh?"

"Shut up. Since when have I cared about what people want?" Inuyasha glared at his two friends and fell on the couch. "Besides, I have a girlfriend, remember?"

"You totally only date her cause she blows you." Miroku grinned and tilted his bottle, draining half of it.

"She's pretty good on her back, too," Inuyasha said, grinning back at his best friend. Miroku probably would have laughed at such a vulgar comment, but Sango got to him first and smacked him with the magazine she was thumbing through to ensure he didn't. She also succeeded in making him lose his balance and almost fall from the chair arm he had settled on again.

"That's disgusting. You're going to have to grow up sometime, get a girl that you can settle with, you know," Sango reminded the Hanyou with a meaningful look. Hearing Miroku sniggering at Inuyasha being reprimanded, she sniffed. "Don't scoff, you need to, too." The male's face fell, though he didn't reply; he knew he was quite the swinger, a bad habit that was hard to break- but it was still unknown if he actually _wanted_ to change, as many times that he sang to Sango about how he'd change for her.

"Keh. Why the hell would I do that?" Inuyasha scoffed, standing. "I like it how it is, I'm not in a position where I have to do anything or commit."

"Meaning you can cheat on her."

"Exactly. She does the same thing."

"Hmph, whatever. You both make me sick, and I would lecture you, but I have to go. I will get into that hospital to see my brother, visiting hours or not," Sango said grimly, rising as Inuyasha went to get a beer.

Miroku rose, jumping on the chance to accompany Sango somewhere, even though it was also partially because of what happened with that hooded man earlier. With the four of them, you never knew what would be coming next. Especially when dealing with Naraku- or even if it turned out not to be Naraku, there was still the caution. "I will come as well." When Sango glared, he shrugged and smiled. "Kohaku is such a great friend."

"Mhmm. You touch my butt, I'll take off your hands," she warned sternly, as she headed towards the front door. She looked out the window and raised her hand in a goodbye to Inuyasha before stepping outside, shutting the screen door behind her.

Miroku sighed. "You trust me so little, my dear." Following her, he grinned at his best friend, who had stopped in the doorway.

"Call me if you see anything. Don't do anything stupid, and don't fuck anything up. I don't need a new team so late in life," the Hanyou ordered, turning and going into the kitchen.

"Yeah, love you too," Miroku called dryly, leaving. In a roundabout way, Inuyasha showed that he cared- which was pretty damn rare for him. And slightly weird.

--

It felt amazing to take a shower, wash her hair. The only problem was clothes; she could not put on her uniform again. With hospital potatoes ground into it, it would most likely have to be burned or something.

Rinsing the last of the shampoo from her hair - it was an unscented kind; she figured that Inuyasha's nose was sensitive, because the soap was mild too- she pulled back the curtain. She had laid out towels before she had gotten in, and now she pulled one around her body and tied her hair up in one, debating what to do about clothes. She would have to ask her kidnappers for some, she supposed. Fantastic.

Going over to the door, she poked her head out. "Uh- hello?" she called, not seeing anyone in the living room. When she actually wanted to see him, Inuyasha wasn't there. He was getting more aggravating by the moment.

"What?"

That was him, definitely. The irritated voice gave him away.

"I need clothes," she called meekly, waiting for an answer. None came; instead, she started getting annoyed until Inuyasha appeared with a bundle in his arms.

"Here, wench."

Taking them from him, she glared up at his golden eyes. She was very glad the towels were big. "What did I say about calling me that?" she hissed.

"Just not to, but I've never been one for rules. Now hurry, your towel is slipping."

Letting out a shriek- in her attempt to grab the clothes, she had moved her arm- she slammed the door. She knew that he was smirking; she could practically feel it through the door. "Stupid self-righteous peverted Hanyou…" Locking the door, she dropped the towel and unfolded the clothes. A pair of black boxers and a red shirt, his very own clothes and therefore no under things. Great. Pulling them on, she undid her hair and finger combed the locks as she left the bathroom, heading towards the living room.

"Hungry? Looks like you had enough food today, but I thought I'd ask."

She started as Inuyasha made a sudden appearance, and she immediately regained herself and glared at him. "Funny," she said acidly. "I obviously didn't eat much of it."

"Yeah, I thought maybe I'd teach you were your mouth is."

"Shut up."

Inuyasha smirked, nodding towards the kitchen. "There's ramen in there." Brushing past her, she watched him sit at the couch and turned, walking into the kitchen.

Going over to the pan on the stove, she looked in. Chicken, her favorite- and it looked like he cooked four or five packages. "Fatty," she said quietly, placing her hands on her hips. "Where are the bowls?" she called, going and opening a nearby cabinet- nope, just ramen. A lot of ramen.

"In the cabinet next to the ramen!"

The response came and she nodded, opening the next cabinet over and grabbing one of the plastic bowls.

"And forks?"

"In the drawer right under."

Everything seemed to be in reaching spot- he didn't even have to move from the stove and he'd get his ramen. Either he was lazy, or he loved his ramen, or both. She counted on the latter.

Getting herself some of the food, she went back to the living room and sat down on a chair, her eyes going over everything. From the outside, the house was tiny and not well kept at all. Inside, though, everything was clean. It was messy, with things everywhere, but clean. And his things did not come cheap; they all must have been expensive. The couch was leather, and all the wood pieces matched. He was well stocked on DVDs and videogames, and a PS3 and X-Box were settled under the TV right next to the Blu-Ray player.

"How do you get all this nice stuff?" she asked, looking over the plasma TV.

"Money," was the short answer, but it was all that he could muster through his food. He could shove more noodles in his mouth than anyone she had ever seen.

Kagome frowned, eating a bite of the food but not pushing her point. She had no business in it, really. Instead, they sat in silence- obviously, Sango and Miroku had left and they were alone. It was slightly unnerving, but the fact that Inuyasha went bowl after bowl of ramen made things easier. Less time in the same room.

As he went to go and get what seemed to be his millionth helping the phone rang, and the only receiver was sitting by Kagome. "Get the phone, wench," Inuyasha called from the kitchen as he poured what was left in the pan into his bowl.

"Not with that mouth I'm not."

"Fine, _Kagome_. Just get the damn phone!" He set the pan in the sink and turned, drinking some of the broth. It might be Sango and Miroku; he would go back to his calling her names later.

"Thank you," chirped Kagome, reaching over and taking the receiver. "Hello, uh…Inuyasha's house…" She blinked, realizing how stupid that sounded.

"Who the hell is this? What are you doing answering his phone, bitch?"

Kagome sweatdropped, freezing as she turned to look at the half demon. "Inuyasha? I think you'd better take the phone…it's a woman."

He stopped mid-chew, looking quite amusing with noodles hanging from his mouth. Messily slurping them up, he gained a repulsed look from Kagome before shoving his bowl in her hands and swallowing. "Hello?" he said into the receiver, looking down at the nurse- she seemed faintly amused, faintly horrified, faintly embarrassed, and somewhat sorry.

It was definitely Kikyou on the other line. As she responded, he knew he was right- she always made people uncomfortable, even if she wasn't right in front of them.

"Inuyasha! Who was that? I could tell it was not Sango." She was half-drunk- her voice was slightly slurred. Kikyou tended to be a very mean drunk.

Sighing, Inuyasha sat on the couch, watching Kagome turn and watch the TV. She seemed to try and not listen, but he knew she would fail. "Just some girl, Kikyou."

"Are you sleeping with her?" Kikyou's voice demanded. "And you let her answer your phone!"

Scratching his head in annoyance, Inuyasha closed his eyes. "No, I'm not sleeping with her," he replied in monotone. "And yes, I did. I thought it was going to be Miroku."

He could practically feel her sulk seep through the phone. "You sure you aren't cheating on me, Inu-baby?"

Repressing another sigh, Inuyasha nodded. "Of course not," he said absently. "But listen, honey, I gotta go. I've got some business to take care of…"

"Not in bed, surely?"

"'Course not. 'Night, Kik." Opening his eyes, he looked at Kagome, who was still staring at the TV.

"I love you, Inu-baby," her voice drawled from the phone, accompanied with giggles. Yura was there with her.

"Love you." He abruptly hung up the phone, not knowing why he was embarrassed with talking in front of Kagome; it was like he didn't want her knowing he had a girlfriend or something. As the phone clicked, he leaned over and retrieved his food, sitting back.

"So." Gold eyes met brown as Kagome spoke, a smirk tugging at her lips. "How big is her chest?"

Slurping up more noodles, Inuyasha laughed, but he turned it into a choke. She didn't need to know that the flame that burned between him and Kikyou died when he decided he liked her better for fucking than for talking. Before, he really had loved her; it had just changed when they lost their virginity to each other and decided there were more fun things than sitting around and being in love.

"She's more than just boobs, thanks. She's smart." He said this just to defend himself, but it was not a complete lie. She _did_ have a lot of common sense and her grades had never suffered. "Like you, but…more boob."

Kagome rolled her eyes, looking back at the TV. "Not my fault that I prefer to be all natural."

"And I guess baggy things just don't do you justice?" he asked, grinning. The shirt really did bunch everywhere. In his clothes, he couldn't tell if she really was as small as she looked.

"You would like to know," she said lightly.

Getting up, Inuyasha let a low growl escape his lips, walking by and running a finger along her jaw. "Mm, you have no idea." He pulled his hand away before she could slap it and yell at him and walked back into the kitchen. He could practically feel the blush on her cheeks, something he got joy out of. She blushed so easily, from both anger and embarrassment.

As he was shoving more things into the sink, he heard the phone ring.

"Inuyasha!"

She obviously didn't want to risk his girlfriend again, even though he knew it wouldn't be her. She was with Yura; they were probably somewhere getting smashed and flashing people.

"Yeah, yeah, wench." Walking into the living room, he went to the phone and picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hello, Inuyasha." The voice was all-to familiar.

"Old woman?"

"I tend to prefer Kaede, but that is not the object of my call. You might want to come down to the hospital; we have your friends Miroku and Sango. They are not in good condition, but they wish to speak to you before anything else."

A stream of curses emitted from his mouth, but apparently that was not all she had to say. "Please hurry, Inuyasha, for their sakes. They need attention immediately, but they demand to speak to you first."

--

**Chapter three. (:  
I might post chapter four today, I might not- it depends on what I'm doing later and how this chapter is recieved.**

On that note, review. :D


	4. Chapter 4

**This chapter is kind of slow, so bear with me. I'm posting two chapters today, so by Wednesday a completely new chapter should be ready.**

**Chapter Four,  
The Diagnoses **

Inuyasha cursed and slammed the phone down, turning on his heel. "Hurry your ass up, we're going. Unless you'd rather stay here alone?" She wasn't getting a choice; she would go- now she really needed to stay with him, whether she liked it or not, and he didn't trust her not to leave.

"Inuyasha what happened?" Kagome sounded worried; she didn't like the way he was acting. It was even more aggressive than before, almost nervous. She started towards the bathroom, going to change back into something more decent, crusted food or not.

"Just get shoes!" he snapped after her, pulling on his own sneakers. He waited impatiently for her to come back, watching her hop down the hall pulling her shoes on after about five minutes- she had rushed to pull her bra on. "Hurry!" he said, grabbing her wrist. Shoving a jacket in her hands, he barely waited for her to pull it on and zip it up on before making her go again. "Come on…" Slinging her up like a baby, he took off; he would move faster than the car.

"Inuyasha please- what happened? Who was it?" He grunted at the pleading voice in his ear, shifting her to bridal style so she was more comfortable.

"It was Kaede. Sango and Miroku were attacked…" He paused, and then added, "She said to hurry for their sakes, 'cause they need attention immediately."

"But that sounds as if-"

"They are going to die, yeah."

For the rest of the trip, neither said anything, not even when they saw the damage to the sidewalk that had earlier been done because of them.

--

"Inuyasha! And…Kagome?" Kaede greeted them in the emergency room, and lead them back through double doors. "Why, child, are you with-"

"I'll explain later, hag," Inuyasha cut in rudely. "Where are they?"

Kaede nodded and pushed through double doors, and they followed her down a clean hallway to a wooden door. "Come, Kagome. We will start to patch them up best we can here before…"

"Before what?"

"They need help, Inuyasha. Do not speak to Miroku, he cannot talk."

Inuyasha was the first through the door, Kagome right after him. She couldn't help but gasp at the sight- the two people she had seen not even forty minutes ago were almost unrecognizable. Inuyasha just stared, his face hard. Both his friends were connected to tubes and IV's, and neither looked good. Ripped clothing, bruises and bleeding cuts, limbs in weird positions, bandages that had been hastily tied…Miroku appeared to be unconscious, and he was breathing very heavily. Sango's right arm was bent at a weird angle, and her expression made Kagome wish she were asleep as well; she looked like she was in such pain, though she bit back her groans.

"What happened?"

Kagome was amazed by the roughness in Inuyasha's voice. He best friends were hurt, but he still sounded like he cared more about what happened then if they were going to live. Grabbing the washcloth and warm water from Kaede, she went over to Sango and started cleaning the cuts. They were deep gashes, and just after cleaning two of the deepest on her arm she had to switch cloths.

"Attacked," Sango wheezed. "Naraku's men- there were seven…" She swallowed. "Warn Sesshomaru. Naraku's got plans, and…" She trailed off, knowing the Hanyou would put two and two together. "Spies everywhere, they knew exactly were we were. Surrounded." She paused and took a deep breath. "They asked about..." Sango raised a good hand, which was connected to three tubes, and nudged a finger towards Kagome, who was oblivious due to her washing and bandaging.

Kagome looked up, watching as Inuyasha planned to pose a question. "No," she said sharply. "That's enough. You've got enough information, question her later." He glared at her, but she glared back. "She has to go and get her lungs checked out, her rib back in place. Her arm needs to be set. And look at Miroku! Let's go, _now._"

To her surprise, the Hanyou backed off and nodded. Immediately, Kagome went to the door and called out, demanding someone come this instant. Giving another look of pity to the two patients, she grabbed Inuyasha's sleeves and dragged him out. "They will be fine; some doctors from a better hospital are coming…" She trailed off. "Let's go to the waiting room."

Shaking his head, Inuyasha took the seats right outside the room. "Technically," Kagome said, joining him, "these seats are for family…"

"Sango's only family is in this hospital. Miroku was raised by some kindly drunk, who for all I know is dead 'cause he never goes to visit. I'm pretty sure these seats would stay vacant if we didn't take them."

"Oh…"

"What was wrong with them?"

Before giving him an answer, Kagome stood and took the clipboard from the door. "Only assigned nurses are supposed to touch them, but I cleaned one, so if anyone says anything…"

"Screw them."

Kagome smiled without humor and nodded. "Exactly." Taking her seat again, Kagome looked over Sango's paper. "Do you know the names of bones?"

"What?" The voice sounded annoyed; obviously, he just wanted the diagnosis.

"The clavicle, fibula, pelvis and names like that. Do you know what they are?"

"What?"

"That's my answer." Kagome's eyes glided over the paper then went back to the top, working the medical names to those that Inuyasha would understand.

"Sango's broken two ribs, one may be puncturing her lung- they'll be fixing that first... Her arm was snapped in half, and twisted her knee. X-rays show that were was air outside her lung, so she'll be here at least one night in intensive care so they make sure it doesn't collapse…If it does…" She swallowed and went to Miroku's page, again switching the names in her head. "Miroku split his scapula- his shoulder blade- and broke his right arm and leg. He fractured his skull, but it doesn't say that there is internal bleeding, but..." She trailed off, not wanting to upset Inuyasha, and continued. "He also got a major gash down his face, I guess that's why he cant talk... Plus, they've both lost tons of blood, that's why they were so weak- and they are both open for infection…"

"Internal bleeding?"

"It's-"

"I know what it is, wench!" he said irritably. "Will he get it?"

"It may develop, it may not, and it may already be there so I'm not sure."

"Oh. And will her lung collapse?"

"Again…not sure."

"Damn. Naraku, that bastard." He looked up as a doctor came down the hall, going into the room without pausing. Kagome stood and replaced the clipboard, gasping as Kaede came out just as she pulled back her hand.

"You know what happened, then. That clipboard is meant for their doctors and nurses only."

Kagome blushed and nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

"But I'm glad you looked, I do not feel like retelling it." Kaede cleared her throat as Kagome sat down again. "They are now working at moving Sango's rib away form her lung and setting it, then they will set her bones and knee. She will then be sent to intensive care so they can make sure it doesn't collapse. Miroku…All they have to do is his bones. They'll have to work easily, for internal bleeding would occur at one slip of the hand because of the position of the fracture." Kaede clasped her hands behind her back. "They will both need to stay for awhile, to make sure they can function properly and nothing disturbed their heart or other organs. They both also lost a lot of blood, and they have some cuts that seem unable to stop their bleeding."

Kagome swallowed and nodded, looking at Inuyasha's face. It was expressionless, smooth. Like he didn't care, but she knew better. No one wouldn't care, unless they had no heart.

Kaede sighed. "They were terrible when they first came in- Miroku lost more blood carrying and dragging Sango to the nearest place there were people. His breaks would have been less dramatic if he had stayed in his place and screamed, but it seems he couldnt talk- his gash, I suppose. And Sango woke up just in time to call for you and demand to speak to you." She gave Inuyasha an appraising look and sighed again. "That is not all the bad news, I'm afraid."

"What?" Kagome said sharply, looking up. She saw Inuyasha's ears twitch; the ears that she thought were so adorable.

"Sango does not know this, for it would have upset her. Please do not inform her until you have my permission, as we don't want to risk anything. Kohaku was taken, a woman smashed through his window on the third floor. She killed the patients in the room and took the boy, and then went upstairs to Ginta, who she also killed." Kaede's faced was taunt, stressed, hurt. "It was terrible. I fear that this Naraku is not only after your gang, Inuyasha. He's up to something."

Kagome blanched; she had just treated Kohaku, now he was gone, kidnapped. Inuyasha still stayed unemotional, as if he didn't know how to react. "I am sorry." Kaede bowed and backed off, nodding gravely to another doctor. They both watched her go and Inuyasha cursed, digging his claws into the chair.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, shit, fuck," he hissed. "I've got to tell Sesshomaru. He'll need to know."

"Who exactly is Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked fiddling with the jacket Inuyasha had given to her. He looked at her, looking slightly confused- obviously, he had been ranting to himself and forgot she was there. "I mean, you've mentioned him, and…" She paused, frowning, and then her eyes lit up. "Wait, surely you don't mean _the_ Sesshomaru, as in the big business leader in Kyoto- do you?"

"That's exactly who he is."

"But he's involved in gang stuff?"

"You don't need to know anymore. Breathe a word of it, you're dead."

"You wouldn't kill me."

"Think what you want, but he'll find someone that would if I don't."

"Oh…" Kagome blinked, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. After that, nothing else was said until the door was opened.

Sango was wheeled out sleeping, down the ward towards another room. They both stared, watching as all the tubes were transported with her.

"How can you work here?" Inuyasha demanded, watching as his friend was wheeled through a door at the end of the hall.

"What?" Kagome turned to him, confused.

"It smells bad, like death and sickness. The air is heavy, and you watch people…" He trailed off, scratching his arm. "It just isn't an environment that I'd like to be caught up in."

Kagome smiled slightly and nodded. "Its hard, sometimes, but I've always wanted to help people. Here I can do that. I make a difference." She shrugged and leaned against the hard chair, resting her head against the wall. "That's why I chose to stay here. I have a shift in the afternoon or morning, classes in afternoon or night. It's a good system. And here, at this hospital, they need my help."

Inuyasha nodded. "I guess. But it still smells. Especially that food."

Kagome giggled, drawing her knees to her chest. "I don't have your nose, remember?"

"Keh."

After a moment of silence, Kagome broke it again. "Inuyasha?" A grunt in response said that he heard her. "Let's go home, alright? You will be more comfortable there, and there isn't anything you can do here… You can come back in the morning, I have an early shift."

"No."

By the sound of his voice, he would not be moved. Sighing, Kagome nodded and wrapped her arms around her knees. "Alright then," she murmured, leaning back against the wall.

Again, silence fell- neither moved nor spoke, though Kagome fell asleep. A few moments later, her head suddenly dropped and rested on Inuyasha's shoulder, making him jump. Looking at her, the gold eyes blinked and he lifted her head. She was right. There was no point in staying.

Growling slightly in annoyance, he stood and lifted her up, carrying her towards the entrance. They would come back in the morning, everything would be fine. They would recover, they had good doctors. And after they were better, they could go and kill that bastard and get Kohaku back.

**--****Make my day- review it.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Another semi-slow chapter, being the reason I posted it along with four.**

Chapter Five  
Sleeping, Leaving...Murder?

Kagome hummed in her sleep and snuggled farther into the warmth, pulling the blankets around her body

Kagome hummed in her sleep and snuggled farther into the warmth, pulling the blankets around her body. Sighing, she blinked her already closed eyes and opened them slowly, staring right into the silver mane of a certain half-demon. Letting out a shriek, she sat up and pulled the comforter with her, pulling it off Inuyasha.

The sudden air of cold wasn't the thing that woke him up- it was the shrill scream that had sounded through his sensitive ears perched on his head. "Oi, wench! What the hell is your problem?" he demanded, sitting up.

Kagome blushed and rolled off the queen bed, placing her hands on her hips. "You! In the same bed with me!" she stuttered, staring him down- he was only in boxers. "Shirtless!"

"You aren't shirtless, I am," Inuyasha said calmly, rolling over himself. "Now hurry and get ready. We've got to get to the hospital."

Kagome gaped at him, and then saw the black bra on the floor. "You took off my bra?" she hissed, reaching down and snapping it up. "And you slept with me half naked?"

Inuyasha growled in frustration and pulled clothes from the floor- he was currently standing there in nothing but boxers. "Listen here, wench," he said. "You are in my house, and one thing I will say- that couch? Not sanitary. At all. It's been through a lot." Standing up with a smirk at her revolted expression, he looked at her. "So it was in the bed or on the floor, which neither of us would have appreciated. You would have bitched at me for just dropping you somewhere." Then his smirk grew. "And that bra thing? You did that in your sleep. Watching you was very-"

"Do NOT finish that sentence!" Kagome yelled over his voice, clutching the fabric and leaving the room. "You are the most perverted person I've never met."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and pulled on the clothes he had grabbed. "You obviously haven't spent time with Miroku. 'Sides, I'm not perverted. I didn't see anything nor did I try to."

Kagome scoffed. "Yeah, right."

"Trust me," Inuyasha said, following her from the room. "I didn't. I've got bigger ones at my disposal, and they aren't on you. Who's taking a shower first?"

--

Morning had been a huffy business. Kagome had showered, pulled on more of Inuyasha's clothes, and waited for him without a word. Even when he was eating breakfast, she stood by the door looking the other way in a silence she supposed was uncomfortable, whereas Inuyasha seemed quite unfazed.

"Ready?" he said, draining the last of his milk from his cereal bowl. When he didn't get an answer, he nodded. "Good. We're taking the car." Looking at her- she pointedly looked away- he just grinned and grabbed his keys, heading out the front door.

Glaring after him, Kagome followed, finding him gone when she stepped out the front door. Crossing her arms and figuring it as some sort of joke, she waited- he'd come back eventually, and she was not giving him the pleasure of her talking to him.

Just as she was about to walk, Inuyasha backed out of the garage. "Damn, bitch. Slow much?" he called, rolling down the window. "Hurry your ass up." Kagome turned towards his voice and balked- she had expected some beat-up piece of junk. Instead, he was sitting behind the wheel of a new-looking 1969 red Chevrolet Camaro; she had been expecting some sort of mustang. Fixing up Camaro's tended to be expensive, and he had his all decked out.

Hiding her surprise, she went over to the passenger side and got in, looking at the new interior; everything was redone. The way the engine revved, he had a new one under the hood. This had cost money, a lot of it- the parts were all new, updated, but fit with the car. The engine itself must have set him back. "Me and Miroku did it ourselves," Inuyasha said proudly. "Well, most of it." Backing out in a fluid motion, he grinned when Kagome gripped her chair; she expected to be killed.

It was then an idea sparked, making him grin. Pressing on the accelerator, he heard her gasp as they neared a yellow-turning-red light- with a large pick-up speeding from the other way with no intention of slowing down. "Inuyasha!" Kagome screeched, "Stop!"

The sudden brake made them both fall forward in a small case of whiplash; Kagome watched the truck go by with a pale face. A second later, they would have been dead. Kagome sat gasping for a moment, glaring when she heard Inuyasha chuckle. "I knew I could get you to talk to me."

"You insane, mental, stupid, perverted, idiotic, smart-ass motherfucker," Kagome hissed, her words streaming from between her teeth. "I hate you."

Inuyasha shrugged and continued when the light turned green. "Had to do something, I hate silence." He grinned, and then proceeded to show excellent driving skills for the rest of the drive. She resented him for it.

--

At the hospital, Kagome got out of the car as quickly as possible. Never again would she get in that car. Ever. She preferred not to die as road kill, especially under the wheels of an eighteen wheeler. Turning roughly on her heel, she went towards the hospital; she knew that Inuyasha was in her wake. At the desk, she checked in and continued her way towards their rooms, not bothering to turn towards Inuyasha. He kidnapped her, flirted with her, took off her bra (or as good as), slept with her, and attempted to kill her, and she had known him less than twenty-four hours.

"Miroku is in there," she said, pointing into a room as they turned down the hall. "He might not be able to string coherent words together, but I'm sure he's in a happy place right now." Leaving Inuyasha to snort at what she just said, she headed towards the staff room. This morning, work. This afternoon, class. She wouldn't have to see Inuyasha anymore, except when he came to visit. What a relief.

Inuyasha watched her go and entered the room, crossing his arms and raising a brow at the sight. A half-delirious Miroku was reaching out an unknown hand to the nurse that was checking his report, ready to risk a smack to the face for a touch. "Even when you don't even know left from right you are perverted," Inuyasha said loudly, making Miroku's hand to snatch back and the nurse to turn around.

"Excuse me?" the nurse said sweetly, faking a smile.

"Never mind, I achieved my goal," the Hanyou replied, taking a seat by the bed and looking at Miroku's guilty face; like a child that was caught taking a cookie before dinner.

"It isn't visiting hours, you know," the nurse continued, watching Inuyasha sit. "If you weren't so cute, I'd report you."

Staring at her, the half-demon just wanted her to leave. She was annoying. "I've got permission," he said shortly. "From Kaede and Kagome."

"Oh." The other nurse sounded somewhat disappointed as she made her leave. "Well, as a warning- he's a bit funny. His medicine is still in effect, so." She shrugged and left, replacing the clipboard in the holder by the door.

"Yeah." As the door clicked closed, Inuyasha turned to his friend who was staring at him.

"Dude."

"What?"

"You have gray hair."

"So?"

Miroku just blinked in response, waiting a moment before opening his mouth again. "So crazy."

Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha crossed his arms again. "I guess there's no point in asking you about last night."

Miroku giggled and shook his head. "Nope."

"You sound like your drunk," Inuyasha said, sighing. Fantastic. "I'll come back tomorrow."

The door opened and Inuyasha's head turned, watching as Kaede came in. "Aye, that would be best," she said, coming and standing by Miroku's bed. "He'll think properly then, and depending on his condition, he could be out in about five days."

"Alright," Inuyasha muttered, standing up. "And Sango?" He spoke quietly, for he knew the name of Miroku's dearest would probably make him do something- and in his state, he didn't want to know what.

"Asleep," Kaede said. "You should talk to her once you come back tomorrow as well." Pausing, she turned her old eyes to the man that was blinking drowsily and staring at the news that was featured on TV. "Inuyasha, come into the hall. We must talk."

He followed her into the white hall and shut the door behind him, looking at the old women with annoyance. "What?"

"You must stay away from Kagome."

"Keh."

"I'm serious, Inuyasha." Her tone made him look away. "You have almost gotten her killed, and not to mention the payments this hospital has to make for that damage. She is a nice girl. She doesn't need to get caught up in your lifestyle." She frowned. "If you cause damage to a hospital just by standing there, what do you think you can do by hanging around a girl like herself?"

"Keh. I hang around Sango and Kikyou all the time," was the reply as he leaned against the wall, twitching his ears.

"And now Sango is in intensive care and Kikyou is one of the easiest girls in this part of the city." Kaede turned and walked down towards the other wards, not bothering to look back. "Keep in mind what I said, Inuyasha. She doesn't need exposure to your life. She's innocent, just like you were."

"I was never innocent," he called after her. "Not with who my father was. And don't fret yourself, old woman. I don't plan on seeing that nurse anymore." Not bothering to wait for a reply- if there even was on- he turned and walked towards the exit, brushing by Kagome as she came from the staffroom without as much as a look in her direction.

--

"She should be. I'm just glad that the blood clot they thought she developed turned out to be a false alarm…" Miroku sighed and opened the door, waiting for Inuyasha to come help him. He felt helpless; with his arm, he couldn't use crutches, so that meant a wheelchair. It was easily said that he hated being so dependent.

"Yeah. If they had better equipment…" Inuyasha didn't finish his sentence; instead, he just shoved his keys into his pockets and got out, grabbing the wheelchair from the back, going to Miroku's side and unfolding it. Instead of picking him up, he just steadied his friend while Miroku used his good leg to help him get in; both refused to do it any other way. And despite his arm, Miroku wheeled himself around best as possible; the only time he didn't was in the hospital because Kaede might see. Turning the wheel, Miroku headed towards the doors with Inuyasha standing next to him so he could take the handles as they got into the building.

After the first day, Kaede's offer of coming anytime before or after visiting hours had stopped; so now, here they were at 4:30. After checking in with the front desk, they headed towards Sango's new room- she had been moved the day before in with another patient, kept for just another night for one more check-up in the morning.

"Hey, Sango," Miroku said upon opening the door, only to be greeted with an empty bed and annoyed looking roommate.

"They are letting her out," the girl said with a snotty voice. "She's getting changed."

"Good." Inuyasha took a seat, brushing long hair from his eyes.

After his first visit, he had come in everyday- he was getting sick of the smell. He had gotten what had happened from Miroku's account and reported to Sesshomaru; they both knew now that Naraku was indeed behind the attacks that had continued on people and that they were connected to Inuyasha or Kagome in some way- they had kept that from her. But even when the story was set straight, he had visited just to visit; things got boring, and he really didn't like the company of anyone else. And sadly, Sango still didn't know about her brother. Kaede said not to tell her until she was home, because it might make things easier. He had disagreed, but he didn't argue; Sango would just be mad that no one had told her.

He had also managed to avoid Kagome, seeing her only a couple times in the hallways. Both ignored each other, but he had almost fumbled a couple times and almost said something rude, just to annoy her; other times, he thought he saw Kagome almost greet him before she remembered herself, hurrying quickly down the hall. Kaede must have warned her about him. Good.

"Hey guys," Sango said, coming from the bathroom. She didn't go fast, and she was still somewhat unsteady on the crutches that she hated. "Lets go, I'm really starting to hate white." And her roommate, but she wasn't going to mention that. "Uh. Bye Ayaka…" The girl in the opposite bed just raised a hand and stared at the TV, not looking as Kaede came in.

"I see you are ready," the woman said, going over to Ayaka's bed. "You are free to leave- I've already signed you out. Be careful, child, don't over excerpt yourself."

"I won't, Kaede, thank you," Sango said, shaking her head. "Goodbye." Inuyasha got up and pushed Miroku from the room, leaving Sango to hobble after them. In the hall, Kagome was coming up the ward and smiled when she saw the trio.

"Sango! I'm glad I caught you." The two had become good friends during Sango's stay- Kagome had been assigned to her, and they had many laughs mimicking and glaring at Ayaka as the girl complained. "I'm glad you are better, but I can't say I'm going to be happy taking care of her without someone in the room."

Sango laughed as Kagome came over, nodding. "Yeah. She might stab you with the stilettos that her rich boyfriend gave her."

"Her rich boyfriend needs to pay for her to get a better doctor," Kagome said darkly, hugging the girl with one arm. "So I'll see you this weekend?" Sango nodded and hugged back, resting one crutch against the wall.

"Yeah. You'll have to drive, though." She rolled her eyes and stamped a crutch on the ground, steadying herself again.

"Ha, no problem." Kagome looked at the two boys, who were just standing there. "Hey, Miroku, Inuyasha."

"Kagome, as beautiful as ever," Miroku said in a flowery voice, nodding to her from the wheelchair.

"Keh. Can we go now?" Inuyasha said, inconspicuously giving Miroku a flick to the head.

"Yeah. I need to check on Ayaka…Bye guys." Kagome flashed them a smile before disappearing into the room, shutting the door behind her.

"D'you have to be so rude?" Sango asked, turning from the closed door to the Hanyou. When she just got a shrug, she rolled her eyes and sighed. "Asshole." Turning herself, she started hobbling to the door with Inuyasha behind, irking her by pushing slowly and right behind her broken leg

"You guys better heal fast-" Inuyasha said darkly, opening the back door. They had taken Miroku's car to make things easier- the Camaro was a bit cramped for "stupid cripples." Inuyasha shut the door as soon as Miroku sat, making them make faces at him. It wasn't their fault they were crippled.

"Inuyasha!" He turned when he heard his name, watching as Kagome came from the hospital. Sighing, he walked to meet her in the middle of the parking lot. "Sango forgot her-" Her words were drowned by screeching of wheels, making them both stare and freeze, like deer caught in headlights.

Coming towards them was a black mustang, a gun pointed square at Kagome's chest, another straight at Miroku's car. As if coming from a coma, Inuyasha yanked Kagome to the ground as the guns fired, sending the cracking booms across the parking lot.

**Read and review. (: Sorry for the late update, school and stuff has me loaded down.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six  
Sesshomaru**

When she dared to open her eyes, she was greeted with a red t-shirt

When she dared to open her eyes, she was greeted with a red t-shirt. Her hands were fisted into the fabric and she clung to his body, her own shaking. When she opened her mouth, a shuddering gasp was released.

"Are you okay?" The voice was rough, but the hands were gentle as they wrapped around her lower back and pulled her up into sitting position. They didn't move as they just sat there, until a cold cackle made them look the direction of Miroku's car.

"My, my." The voice made the Hanyou bare his teeth, even though he didn't jump up because he had a shaky girl sitting up with his support. "I was expecting more from Sesshomaru's top guns."

"You dirty bastard," Inuyasha spat, finally standing- he kept an arm on Kagome, pulling her up with him. She was still shaking, and the bullet hole was lodged in the car right where her heart had been a moment before he yanked her down. "You got us when we weren't paying attention!"

"Alls fair in my game, Hanyou," replied the monotone voice. What pissed Inuyasha further was that he couldn't see the face- he had a hood with his cloak. The fucker.

"Who the hell are you?" The man looked down, watching as Sango supported herself with the roof of the car. "Why are you doing this?"

"You don't seem as mad as I thought you would be," came the soft reply. "Or is it that you don't know?" Everyone could practically feel him smirking.

"What are you talking about?" Sango snarled, gripping the car so tight her knuckles turned white.

"Your brother." The shock on her face made the man laugh. "I have him, but don't worry. I don't plan on killing him just yet." Before a sound was uttered from the woman's mouth, he was off in a jump, landing beside the car that had made its appearance earlier. In the distance, sirens could be heard as he got in, the car speeding away with loud screeches of rubber on asphalt.

Inuyasha glared after him, biting his tongue to keep the curses from flowing off his tongue.

"You're hurt."

"What?" The voice was so soft he had barely heard it.

"Your arm." Sure enough, he was bleeding sluggishly from a shallow wound. Shrugging, he looked down into the chocolate eyes which actually looked concerned. "I'll take a look at it."

"Keh, I don't need you to. I heal fast, remember?" he asked, taking his arm from her waist. He had just realized it was there.

"Doesn't stop infection." She sounded as if she was trying to get her voice back, but couldn't quite get there. Taking a breath, she looked at Miroku's car and started over, as if just remembering that they were there. "Are you two okay?" she asked, opening Miroku's side. The bullet went through the back windshield and grazed the seat, making it fly into the windshield and shatter it.

"Yeah," Miroku said, nodding. "Sango got me down."

"You guys are not catching a break," Inuyasha said with a snort, coming up behind Kagome.

"You aren't either. Your arm alright?"

"Keh. What the hell do you think?"

Finally Sango spoke- she had been frozen. "You guys had better pray I don't kill you for not telling me." Her voice was hollow, cold, and emotionless.

"Kaede-"

"I don't give a damn."

"Sango-"

"Take me home." The demand came, icy cold. "Now." Her door was slammed, making the windows rattle and a few shards of glass fall.

Inuyasha sighed and shut the other door. Kagome stared into the window and turned, avoiding Inuyasha's eyes and turning back to the hospital. He didn't stop her. He went around the car and got in, backing out as she watched from the sliding doors.

--

He was pacing, and he didn't like the fact that he was interrupted. When the doorbell rang, he glared and slammed his beer down, making the liquid come from the top. "What the hell do you want?" he yelled, swinging the door open.

"Hi," Kagome said smally, her hands intertwined. "Did I disrupt anything?"

It was the first time that he saw her in regular clothes- not his clothes, not scrubs. She looked good, in her green skirt and navy sweater. Staring at her, Inuyasha finally shook his head. "No."

"Okay- can I come in?"

"Fine." Leaving the door open, he retreated and fell onto the couch.

"I came to check your arm," Kagome said, her voice still quiet.

"It's fine."

"Can I look at it?"

"No."

There was a moment of pause before she spoke again. "Thank you."

That made him look up and quit staring at the blank TV. "What?"

"Thank you," she replied slowly. Taking a seat on the chair- she was still wary of the couch- and crossed her legs. "That's twice that you've saved me."

"Maybe you should stay outta trouble," was the reply as he emptied his drink.

"Maybe you should. They were both your fault." She leaned back in the chair and blinked, finally getting him to look at her.

"How so?"

"They weren't after me. You cause trouble."

The words that Kaede had told him came back to him. "You've been talking to Kaede."

"She came to me," Kagome said, fiddling with a hole in her sweater. Looking down at it, she shrugged. "She just said that I shouldn't hang around you if I can avoid it. And that there are some things I shouldn't get involved in."

"I think that it's to late now," Inuyasha said, mentally cursing and remembering what Miroku had said about Kagome being somehow involved, too.

"You are more than a big gang-man aren't you?" Kagome asked, watching as he stood. "You are involved with Sesshomaru. There's no way you are just in a gang."

"Yeah."

"So what is it?" she asked, following him into the kitchen.

"Can't say. But Kaede's right." Taking a beer from the fridge, he cracked it open. "You shouldn't be here, be around me. Or Sango, or Miroku. Even that wolf."

"But?"

"But it's to late now. Want a beer?" Inuyasha offered her the one in his hand, and when she declined he emptied half of it. "He's seen you around me twice. Once with you clinging to me as if we were doing it." As she opened her mouth to retort, he spoke over her. "So now you have to be careful."

Again, as she started to respond, the front door opened. "Inu-baby!"

"Shit," Inuyasha murmured quietly- Kikyo was not going to like Kagome being here. Walking into the living room, he looked at the raven-haired girl that shut the door behind her.

"Are you okay?" she wailed. "I thought you were hurt!" Before she could throw her arms around his neck, she spied Kagome in the kitchen. "Is that the girl from the telephone? Why is she here?" she asked, stopping in her tracks.

"She just came to make sure I was okay from today," Inuyasha said, trying to soothe her.

"Why? _I'm _your girlfriend. She's not as pretty as me."

"Of course," Inuyasha said, placing his arms around her waist. He heard Kagome give a snort in the back and march from the kitchen, heading for the front door.

Kikyo glanced at her and grinned. "And she probably isn't as good."

"Mhmm," Inuyasha replied. Why did he feel bad when the screen door slammed shut? Leaning in to kiss Kikyo, his ears twitched when he heard the screech of wheels. Letting go of Kikyo, he dodged to the door and saw demon's surrounding Kagome. Letting out a snarl, he jumped forwards and slashed at one, using his claws.

"Inu!" Kikyo yelled from the doorway. "Why are you going after her?" she pouted. Sparing her a glance, Inuyasha looked back at Kagome; she was struggling in a demons arms, trying to get the hand from her mouth. They didn't want to be found out; they were keeping quiet. Even the car had disappeared. Jumping forward again, Inuyasha elbowed the restraining demon in the stomach and made him drop, letting Kagome bring up her leg to get his groin.

"I think you are right," Inuyasha said, bringing his fist down into the face of another silent demon- it was like they weren't allowed to even yell. "I do cause trouble." Slamming into the last demon, he looked up as the car that had stopped in front of the house opened its doors for Kikyo. As if stunned, Inuyasha stared as the car window opened and another gun appeared.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome grabbed his arms and yanked him down, just before the shot fired. When the car screeched away, she sat up; that was the second gun attack in a day.

Inuyasha was silent for a moment. "Fuck," he said, replaying Kikyo getting into the car with the people that were trying to attack him. Why?

"Why are they so eager to kill you?" Kagome said quietly, her arm still on his chest.

"I don't think they are after me," Inuyasha replied, standing up. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her along with him.

"But whenever they attack, you are there…"

"So are you."

Kagome stared at him, as if he was crazy.

"They might know something about you."

"Or maybe they are really after you," Kagome protested. "I doubt they would be after me, you're the lawbreaker."

"Hah, like that matters. But its funny how they always know where you are." Pausing, he growled. "We need to get you somewhere," he said. "Come on."

"Somewhere? Why?"

Inuyasha stopped his immediate answer of 'because I don't want you dying'. That would make it look like he actually cared. Nah, he just didn't like dead people. "Are you stupid? Three times you've almost been dead in less than two weeks. D'you want to die?" he demanded.

"No…"

"Fine then. Just until we figure out if they really are after you; if they are, you're screwed. But we can keep you alive until then." Kagome's face drained of color, but he just continued. "Let's go. Wait by the car." Going inside to get his keys, Kagome stood by the car, almost stunned. Why the hell would these creeps be after her? She didn't have anything special about her. They had to be after Inuyasha, he was just trying to hide something. Right?

The car clicked unlocked and she got in, shutting the door as Inuyasha climbed in. "Sorry about Kikyo."

"Whatever. She is probably fucking someone on that side." Starting the car, Inuyasha backed out and went the opposite way of the hospital. It was like she was sent as a distraction while Kagome got taken or whatever.

"What about you?"

"What about me? Maybe he's bigger."

Giving him a confused look, her mouth dropped as she realized what he meant. "That's sick."

He shrugged and turned towards downtown. "You'll stay with my brother. I'm pretty sure he has an open room he can spare you."

"If it'll be any trouble…"

"It won't be. He has three stories and lives alone; he just doesn't like people within a floor of him."

"Oh."

It was weird- he didn't seem fazed at all that his girlfriend had just gone off with the people that were trying to kill him. But then, he had not even seemed fazed when his best friends almost died. He was just quieter, and moody.

Curling up in a ball in the seat, Kagome stared out the window. Neither had much to say- she just watched the scenery go by, he focused on driving. She didn't even notice when he went over the speed limit, ran a stop sign, and swerved to avoid hitting a dog in the road.

"Come on, get out."

"What?" she repeated, sitting up.

"Get. Out. We're here." Pushing open his car door, he stood in the large parking lot. Here, his car actually fit in. The spaces were filled with posh cars and shiny SUVs- and a few remodeled old rag tops and such. The building was the largest unit of condos in the area; all were at least two floors, with master suites and entranceways. Because of their location, in the midst of downtown and the views, they were expensive.

"Here?" Kagome asked, getting out and staring up. She never even thought she would go into one of those condos. Her mother- a real estate agent- adored them.

"Yes here. C'mon. If we get there to late, he'll be even moodier…" Going to the building, he entered and went to the intercoms in the lobby. Pressing a button that said "D-8", he waited until a female voice came up, inquiring who was calling.

"Inuyasha. Here to see Sesshomaru." He glanced at Kagome as she came up behind him, staring at the chandelier. After another second, the maid told them to come on up. She didn't sound enthused about having interrupted her employer. Turning, he motioned Kagome towards the elevator doors. "C'mon."

The elevator was not quite as nice as the lobby- the music got into your head and pissed you off (or pissed a certain Hanyou off) and the pattern on the walls and carpet gave you a headache. It was much better when it opened up on the fourteenth floor, giving way to a marble hallway. There were only three doors on the floor- three rooms, D-6, D-8, and D-10. The condo unit didn't use odd numbers.

The door opened as they stepped out, revealing a maid that looked slightly annoyed. Because of the visitors, she was not getting to go home on time. "Mr. Sesshomaru will meet you in the sitting room," she said, grabbing her purse. "Unfortunately, it is not my duty to serve drinks after nine." As she left, Inuyasha snorted.

"Like he'd offer drinks to us." Shutting the door behind him, he left Kagome no time to ogle at the place before taking a shoulder and steering her towards the sitting room. In the doorway, he stopped her. "Sesshomaru."

The taller, silver-haired man sipped at his drink. "This had better be an emergency, Inuyasha," he said coldly. Turning, he looked at the girl that was staring at him. "I didn't think that smelled like Kikyo. She's too pure, she hasn't a whoreish scent all over her."

"Shut up," Inuyasha snapped. "I need you to keep Kagome here." Kagome didn't say anything- she just looked around the room, avoiding the gaze of Inuyasha's older brother.

"Why?"

"I don't know, but every time I turn around, someone's attempting to kill her. Either her or me, but they aim for her more so than me." He leaned against the doorframe, getting more annoyed by the second.

"Why should I care?"

"If I told you that, she'd know too much and we'd have to kill her." Finally, Kagome did move. She looked back at him, about to protest before he put a hand on her mouth. "And Naraku's involved. He wants her for some reason."

"Bottom floor. Last bedroom in the hall. Don't get in my way."

As Sesshomaru left, Inuyasha's hand dropped. Then came the questions. "Sesshomaru's your brother? Kill me? And why didn't you tell me that he was your brother? And what do you mean, Naraku wants me?"

"Questions later. I'll show you your room." Letting her stare after him before hurrying to follow, he went down a set of stairs that were unused but clean. Down here, there were only two doors- they went into the last one, which held a large bed, vanity, and nice view- the ajoining bathroom was through another door, and the entire room was decored in cream, red, black, and silver. "This is the worst room in the house."

"Worst? Are you kidding?" Kagome repeated, surprised. Looking at the artwork, she ran her hand down the intricate frame of a painting that was hanging on the wall.

"Yeah. Alright. See you tomorrow."

As he turned to leave, Kagome jumped up. "Wait, you can't go," she said quickly. "You can't just leave me here!"

"Why not?" She didn't answer, just looked sheepish. "You're scared of Sesshomaru." When she didn't answer, he grinned. "Typical. He wont hurt you." Still no answer. Sighing, he brushed hair from his eyes as she looked down. "Fine. I'll stay in the other room down the hall."

"Thank you," Kagome called after him, dropping the hand from the frame as the door snapped shut.

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	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven  
No Relief**

Bright sunrays that managed to slip around the thick blinds fell across her face, making her mumble in the sleep that was wearing off. Sighing deeply, she rolled over onto her back and stretched her arms up towards the ceiling, letting her hands fall back with a grateful sigh. Rubbing her eyes, she turned over to the edge of the bed and slipped out, her feet touching the thick carpet.

Walking towards the fully-stocked bathroom as she stretched again, she wondered how such a room was kept in such condition for guests- he had not even been warned she was coming, and yet there was every toiletry she needed in the cabinets, everything was clean and full and laundered. There was even expensive Japanese cherry blossom shampoo, complete with matching-scented conditioner, body wash, lotion, and body spray.

Either Sesshomaru loved the smell of Japanese cherry blossom, or he was just going for the overkill- but she did have to admit, she adored the way that it smelled.

The shower felt amazing- it was one of the nice ones, with two shower heads. The only problem was she realized she had no clothes- no clothes at all, except the ones she had worn earlier. Cursing herself when she got out, she securely wrapped herself in a blue satin bathrobe, making sure the knot was completely in place before venturing out. Going up the stairs, she heard noises through large double doors that she had not noticed before- probably because it led the opposite way she came.

Peeking inside, she saw the two brothers talking- or arguing, by the tones that she managed to overhear- quietly as Inuyasha made himself breakfast, boiling noodles for ramen. "Three days," Sesshomaru said, looking over at Kagome as she came in. Her scent had made him take notice of her immediately. "Then I want her out." Without another glance, he stalked out towards the main entrance hall, probably up towards his rooms.

Kagome went over to the bar, taking a seat up on the high barstools. "I'm sorry I got you in trouble with your brother," she said, offering him a small smile. Inuyasha had said it would not be a problem that she came, but obviously Sesshomaru thought differently.

Inuyasha looked at her, shrugging. "He hates people. It's not just you." Adding an egg to his ramen, he looked back down. "Want some?" he asked, one bowl already sitting out and ready.

"Please, if you don't mind," Kagome said, nodding. He turned around and took a step to the cabinets, opening one and pulling out another bowl.

Glancing over at her, he grinned as he caught sight of the satin robe. "Nice. Sango came by earlier and brought you some clothes that she thought would fit you- she isn't allowed in your apartment, they would notice. You can change, but if you are more comfortable, I don't mind the robe," he added with a smirk, watching as her face got darker and annoyed- making her angry was a very funny plus to his day. Truly, though, he didn't mind at all- he was male, after all, and Kagome was little, soft, but she had her curves- a defined waist, enough ass, and boobs that were proportioned to her.

Frowning slightly, she took the full bowl that Inuyasha offered her and ignored the robe comment. "Thanks, but I will change after breakfast, and two, how did you know I lived in an apartment? You never came to my house." Taking a bite, she noticed his huff as he turned around, leaning against the cabinet to eat…- embarrassed? "Inuyasha," Kagome added, a sharpness in her voice that was masked by her confusion.

"I followed you, okay? To make sure you were safe, after Naraku attacked Sango and Miroku. I had a feeling that since they had spies, they knew you were with me. And since they had spies on you, I knew that there was something about you they wanted." Kagome was silent, and Inuyasha turned around, his face almost angry when he saw Kagome's surprised face. "Its nothing, I just didn't want another death on my head, so don't think anything about it. I plan on keeping you safe from that bastard, and it's not because I want you alive, it's because he needs to be brought down," he said, his voice raising- and Kagome knew his habit of babbling when he was nervous.

To change the subject, he shoved his mouth full and swallowed before talking again. "I have to go up to the office earlier. You can come, but we'll take a tinted car and you'll stay in the car while I'm inside. If anyone sees you…" He shrugged, sliding a finger across his neck.

His question and motion sidetracked her from the thoughts that Naraku was after her and that there was something special about her he wanted, that Inuyasha wanted her alive, but it only added the fact that she could possibly be dead after three days. Shaking her head, she poked at the ramen he gave her. "Well, I'm glad you are so optimistic. I'll go; I don't want to stay here alone."

"Hah," Inuyasha scoffed, filing his bowl again. "Sesshomaru won't hurt you."

"I'm not scared of him, I just-

"Uh-huh. That's bullshit." Kagome was about to open her mouth, to retaliate. "Just face it. If anything, he would just give you his infamous glare of death."

Kagome stopped and snapped her mouth her closed. "If looks could kill," she mumbled quietly, taking another bite of her ramen. If looks could kill, Sesshomaru would have no problem taking over the entire world- all the people would just die out.

Shaking his head, Inuyasha shrugged. "Whatever, just go get ready. Your clothes are in the bag on the couch." Draining the broth, he set the bowl in the sink and turned to go back to his rooms.

"M'kay, thanks," Kagome said, swallowing her bite.

"Keh, I didn't do anything."

--

Kagome sat in the car, waiting for Inuyasha and playing with the radio station. His office building was huge- one of the biggest in Tokyo, which wasn't a surprise. Sesshomaru owned it, after all- and Inuyasha said he had expanded the business that his father had made after he inherited, as well as owning all his land. Inuyasha had inherited most of the material items.

She had a lot to think about- she stayed low in the seat, still scared of a maybe attack. She had never been so close to death so many times in forty eight hours; she was up to two, and she didn't want to make a three- after all, the third time is the charm and each attack got more violent. It seemed like this Naraku had incentive, like he knew something about her that she didn't know, or she had something he wanted. Neither made sense, she wasn't special.

The other thing was Inuyasha- she had grown to like him, in other ways than just finding him attractive. His rough manner became less offensive and more just Inuyasha, and she knew that he was soft underneath- obviously he cared enough for her life, even if he made up some long, drawn-out lie about why he saved her.

She was pulled from her reverie when the door opened- they had taken on of Sesshomaru's spares, a car that he said he had never driven. In a way, that really didn't surprise her- Sesshomaru seemed to have a lot of excess, and that was including money.

"Turn it to the news," Inuyasha said fast as he got in. "I want to know if there has been an attack or anything."

Nodding, Kagome clicked the seek button until she heard an announcer, sitting back and listening to the current situations in the city.

"_Just in- a fire has broken out in downtown Kyoto, destroying half of an apartment complex on Blossom Street. It was said that the owner of the apartment, apartment 11, was not home, and the source of the fire has not been identified. Investigators did not manage to find the source, and the flames were put out before anyone was harmed…" _

"Oh Kami," Kagome murmured, dumbstruck as the announcer continued on about a traffic accident. "…That's my apartment."

Inuyasha sped up, speeding back towards Sesshomaru's posh apartment complex. "What could have happened? Did you leave anything on?"

Kagome thought, scrambling to find an answer. "No, I…I don't use any of the electronics, really, because of the bill. I pay for food at work because it's cheaper, and unless something caught fire because of something I had plugged in…"

Inuyasha cursed and turn off the car, getting out and slamming the door- there was no way all these attacks and the fire was coincidence. Kagome followed, walking quickly to keep up with Inuyasha as he brushed through the doors. The trip in the elevator was tense as Inuyasha bounced his foot, and he ushered Kagome before him as he got into Sesshomaru's apartment. "Hey, asshole, turn on the news," Inuyasha called, leading Kagome into another door she never noticed. There was the living room, the entire back wall glass- the couch was a large sectional sofa, a large plasma TV covered the wall in front of it. A fish tank that looked like it was for saltwater sea life was one of the many decorations among the rugs and paintings. "That's Kagome's apartment. Apartment's don't just burst into flame."

He froze when he saw Sango sitting uncomfortably on the comfortable couch while Miroku was sitting in his chair beside her. Sesshomaru was off by himself, standing by the window. "Yeah, we know," Sango said grimly, leaning on her crutches as she stood. "And Jinenji's dead, he was attacked. He was trying to stop them from breaking into his library, where they were getting at old books about myths and legends…"

"And we are pretty sure Naraku and his cronies don't read on old Japanese tales for fun," Miroku added grimly. "Something is going on, and Kagome has inevitably become tied up in it, our help or no. They didn't get anything, as far as the records show."

Sesshomaru turned, eyeing Kagome. After trying to keep his burning gold eyes, she finally dropped her head to the carpet and Inuyasha stopped his growling, looking down at her. "They want her."

Miroku nodded, scratching his head. "She can't stay here. People know where Sesshomaru lives, and they know he's related to you." He nodded towards Inuyasha. "They've never seen Kagome anywhere without you; they will put those facts together sooner or later." Miroku paused and Inuyasha frowned, bunching his hands into fists- light growls were escaping his mouth. "I suggest your house. No one knows it's yours."

"Oh? And how the hell do you suggest we get there?" Inuyasha demanded. "They know my car."

"Take Jakken's," Sesshomaru said, heading towards the door. "You two get back to your normal lives, and I'll make it seem like Inuyasha is away on a business trip. I have to go make phone calls." An official order by his boss given, all three nodded. Sango got up and positioned herself- she was now using only one crutch- and Miroku wheeled himself towards the door.

"We'll confuse them until we get this all sorted," Miroku said, pausing by Inuyasha and Kagome. "We'll explain everything to Kaede. You two stay down, we don't think they are after just one of you. At this point, I don't think any of us want to lose you." Weeks of nursing and check ups had grown her and Miroku closer- Kagome had found that if she kept her distance, she and Miroku were more than able to become friends without his hand getting in the way.

"Yes, be careful, Kagome," Sango said, giving her a one-armed hug. "The hospital wouldn't be the only thing hurting if you died."

Kagome smiled and gently patted Miroku on the shoulder. "You two be careful, too. You've gotten the worst end of this entire ordeal…I'm so sorry."

"Don't apologize. Be careful. Give us some warning you're safe, okay?"

Kagome nodded and Inuyasha clapped Miroku on the back. "Keep me updated," Inuyasha said, giving a rough one armed hug to Sango. "We'll be back as soon as possible, and Naraku will die."

Miroku sighed as he wheeled out of the room. "We are getting _no_ relief from this," he said, shaking his head. "I cannot wait until I can sleep without interuptions again."

--

"This is yours?" Kagome asked, staring up at the house- not what she was expecting.

"My dads. An inheritance- he and my mother used to come for vacations here."

"Oh."

That explained the size- it was a small log cabin in the middle of the woods, secluded. It was no wonder no one knew that it was Inuyasha's- he did not seem the woodsy type. Stopping Jakken's old Honda Civic, he turned off the headlights. It was eerie, with the shadows and the noises.

"Come on," Inuyasha said, getting out of the car. Opening the back, he pulled out a few bags he had shoved full of things and shouldered them, leaning against the car as he waited for Kagome to grab her one bag.

"Did you take stuff from Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked with her one tote bag filled with the items she gotten today from Sango.

Inuyasha nodded, easily keeping the bags in one hand as he unlocked the door in the other. "One bag is full of shampoo and shit- Sesshomaru had his last girlfriend design the rooms and she went a little overboard on the matching scent things, so I took what was in my room for you. I've got my unscented crap because that shit makes me sneeze. Then some towels, bed sheets and blankets. Pillows, too."

"You didn't have to steal!"

"He hates guests, he doesn't need them," Inuyasha replied lightly, flicking on the lights to the old cabin- it not cleaned and very unused, immediately making him sneeze form the dust. "And obviously, this place is unused and no stocked with anything. It was cleaned off the last time they vacationed here."

Kagome made a face as she entered, keeping her bag off the dusty floor. "…Gross."

"Keh, what did you expect? This place hasn't been used since I was like seven." Motioning for her to follow, he led her down a hallway and nodded towards the only room. "It's a pull-out couch in the living room," he said. "I'll sleep there. We'll get settled tomorrow, but it's to late to do anything tonight."

Kagome nodded and went into the room, flicking on the light. She would defiantly have to do some cleaning. "Inuyasha," she said, turning. He stopped and looked at her, his bags still in his hands. "Thanks- again. I wouldn't be alive…"

"Yeah, I know. Night, wench."

--

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	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Seven  
Found, Again**

Disclaimer- Even though I forget these all the time, I own nothing.

--

She heard the car and turned, wiping her hands on the apron she had made out of two of Inuyasha's old t-shirts- two old, old t-shirts, as she had found them in the old chest in the living room. They were both size S in boys, and weird thoughts of a little Inuyasha had flashed through her mind.

After he had left to go grocery shopping, she had managed to find cleaning supplies underneath the kitchen sink, and there was a vacuum cleaner in the coat closet- the lack of rags were made up by said shirts. Then she had gone to work, tackling the very large cleaning project with vigor. Wood pieces shone again, dust disappeared, and the floors actually looked decent again. She had even wiped down all the walls, doors, and floor boards- it was now a much more comfortable place to live in, you could breath without choking.

Coming through the door, Inuyasha was more than surprised to see the entire thing cleaned. Setting the grocery bags down on sparkling counters, he glanced up as Kagome came into the room. "You should take better care of this place," she said, grabbing some food to help him put it up. "Its cozy- I can see why your parents liked it."

"The exact reason I don't come up here," Inuyasha mumbled darkly- obviously, he was not in the best of moods. "Besides, it's so far away from everything. I feel cut off." He stood still and watched as Kagome moved around the kitchen, putting things away and taking out the things he had brought for her- deodorant, laundry detergent, toothpaste and a toothbrush.

He frowned; she was so carefree right now. As if all she cared about was getting everything ready and making the house livable. "What the hell is your problem?" he demanded, crossing his arms.

Kagome looked up, surprised. "What?" she asked, holding the toothpaste in her hand.

"What the hell is your problem, bitch? Naraku is after you, trying to kill you. You've been taken away from your family, friends, your life. And yet you seem not to care about any of that shit, and walk around like there is nothing wrong!"

Kagome stared, a small blush creeping on her cheeks. Continuing her job, she said nothing until he cleared his throat. Turning away from him to sort out a cabinet that had gotten to full, she shrugged. "I'm not worried about it," she said. "I don't know, I feel…safe around you." Great. That was one thing she had planned on keeping from him. "I know that you won't let anything happen to me, and the sooner that it is over, the quicker I can go back to all of that."

Inuyasha froze, not expecting that answer. "Oh," he said, a loss for words. Kagome just nodded and started leaving the room, but he stopped her again when he spoke. "And if I can't?" he asked, his voice lower than it usually was, softer. "What if I can't save you next time, Kagome?"

Kagome turned and smiled at him, holding the laundry detergent and fabric softer tightly. "I trust you. I know you won't let anything happen to me, if it can be helped."

She left then and he stared after her, slamming a fist on the counter in frustration. He was growing way to close to her- and he knew, despite any efforts, he wouldn't be able to stop now. She was tangled in this mess and she needed him.

But what if he couldn't protect her? Visions of Kagome, dead, in the woods, her cream skin covered in sticky blood… "No. I will keep her alive," Inuyasha resolved, shoving the rest of the food into a cabinet. "Nothing will touch her."

--

The day had been lazy- Inuyasha had watched TV and tried to get contact with someone- but cell phones had no service. Kagome had cleaned and bathed, enjoying the clam.

Later, Inuyasha found her outside, sitting on the porch steps and staring up at the stars. Coming out of the house, he stood behind her and followed her eyes, surprised at how many you could see.

"They're beautiful," Kagome side, wrapping her arms around herself against her shivers. "You can't see it like this in the city." It was cold at night, and she didn't have a jacket. She jumped when Inuyasha dropped his around her shoulders, taking a seat smoothly beside her. "Thanks."

"Whatever." He glanced at her and then looked away, embarrassed from earlier. Smiling smally, Kagome leaned back with her elbows resting on the porch and closed her eyes- everything was so peaceful. Keeping his open, he was very aware of Kagome's scent- something he had noticed before, something he noticed calmed him, almost. A good smell, like Kikyo before she had gone bad- except Kagome's was stronger, maybe.

They sat like that for maybe fifteen minutes until Inuyasha jumped up, taking a protective stance in front of Kagome. "Inuyasha…what is it?" she asked, fear lacing her voice.

Inuyasha sniffed and then growled, cracking his knuckles as he caught a better whiff of the smell. "Not Naraku, it's that damn wolf. I forgot they spend way too much time out here."

With a gust of wind, Koga appeared- the wolf demon she had only met once, the one that called her lovely. "What the hell do you want?" Inuyasha demanded, not moving from in front of her.

"I came to see why that pretty nurse's scent was all around this place," he said, stepping forward and peering around a growling Inuyasha.

Kagome stood up and moved around her friend, who held her back by an arm. "He's the enemy, too."

"Hah. Right. With Naraku on both our cases, you are the least of my worries, dog boy." He turned and looked at Kagome, looking down her body and up. "Why don't you come spend time with a real demon, pretty lady? I can protect you _and_ give you a good time."

Inuyasha snarled again, placing himself halfway in front of Kagome's body. "You won't touch her, you disgusting bastard." Kagome remained silent, still surprised at the veracity of Inuyasha's protections.

Koga laughed, crossing his arms. "Oh, I see. You've fallen in love with her."

"Keh, yeah right," Inuyasha said, glancing at the staring girl beside him. "She's just my responsibility."

"Well then, she can still be your responsibility, I'll just take care of her in the house…" Koga moved forward and Inuyasha moved more in front of Kagome, still growling loudly.

"So you have fallen for her," Koga said, his grin wicked. "Well then, you'll have to leave sometime." Then he nodded, glancing around the trees. "We'll be scouting and keeping you updated on Naraku- Sango and Miroku agreed that was easiest, 'cause it doesn't look suspicious that we are here." Saluting, Koga smiled at Kagome from around Inuyasha's form. "I'll see you later, lovely. Once this mangy dog is gone, we can have some fun."

"Uhm, bye Koga…" Kagome stared as Koga left, and Inuyasha didn't seem to want to move until he couldn't smell them at all. She looked at his face as he turned, meeting her eyes. "Inuyasha…"

"That was a lie, what Koga said," Inuyasha replied sharply. "I haven't fallen for you. You are just my responsibility and you mean nothing to me, sorry if it's a let-down."

Hurt by his harsh words, Kagome turned and went inside, slamming the screen door in his face. Shedding the coat, she tossed it on the floor and went to her room. The door banged shut as she locked it, not knowing why the words hurt so much.

Inuyasha watched her go and picked up the jacket, cursing lightly. It smelled of her, and right now, he wanted to be reminded as little as possible of the angry, pretty girl curled up on her bed.

--

A piercing scream woke him, and he immediately jumped up from the couch. Dashing towards Kagome's room, he threw himself against the locked door, making it slam back with a bang.

Kagome was again struggling with a demon- just one, that tried to keep her flailing limbs under control while covering her mouth and getting her through the window.

The demon noticed him as he came through the door, looking up and snarling. Twisting Kagome's hands behind her back, he finally managed to get her through the open window, dodging into the darkness.

"Fuck," Inuyasha cursed, following the demon quickly. "Get your cowardly ass back here!" His eyes followed the trail, his heart racing faster than usual- he had to get her back before the demon did something to her.

He burst into a clearing, a snarl ripping from his mouth when he saw the demon trying to get Kagome into a car. "Don't touch her, you little fucker," Inuyasha yelled, jumping forward and slashing the demon down his back.

The demon let out a feral growl, looking away and giving Kagome the chance to kick him in the stomach. "Stupid girl," the demon hissed, slamming her head against the car door. Hitting her with just enough force, Kagome dropped- she was out cold.

Watching Kagome drop to the floor, Inuyasha felt his heart skip a beat. "Fuck you, damn your mother. You're going to hell, you little…" He trailed off, jumping back and slicing at the demon again. The demon neatly dodged, landing lightly on his feet.

"You thought you were being sneaky, bringing her here. Naraku will find you, wherever you go." The demon taunted, dodging again as Inuyasha jumped forward. "He will get her. Of course, he won't kill her immediately…Nah, he needs her around."

"What the hell does Naraku want with her?" Inuyasha demanded, pausing in his attacks- Kagome was still out, he was watching her carefully through the corner of his eye.

The demon laughed, moving forward and getting Inuyasha down the chest with his claws as Kagome stirred, groaning. "You stupid Hanyou. Pay attention to your fight," he hissed, slamming his feet into Inuyasha's stomach and sending him sprawling onto the grass.

Inuyasha rose to his knees, growling as the demon went towards Kagome. Using all his leg strength, he sprang forward and grabbed the demon's neck, pinning him against the car. "You'd better fucking tell me what the fuck Naraku wants with her!" he snarled into the demon's face.

The demon just laughed- a rasping noise, due to the hand that was tightly clenched around his neck. "Kagome Higurashi. Do you know the Higurashi name, Hanyou?" Inuyasha just snarled again, slamming the demon's body against the car- he wanted straight answers.

The demon let out a rasping laugh again. "Doesn't matter. She'll soon be in the hands of Naraku, now that they know where she is." With a shuddering breath, the demon died- Inuyasha jumped back, surprised. He had not been squeezing his neck that hard, he knew- then he caught the faint smell of cyanide. "Suicide," he spat, throwing the body away.

Turning, Inuyasha went to Kagome's side, kneeling beside her. Touching the lump that was forming on her head, he just felt relief that the demon didn't accidentally hit her temple or hit her hard enough she died. Lifting her carefully, he made sure that her head was tucked safely and ran towards the cabin, trying to keep the jostling to a minimum.

--

She groaned- her head was pounding, and she had a raging headache.

"Kagome?"

Trying to open her eyes, she felt warm hands on her face, smoothing her skin and moving hair from her eyes. "Inu…?"

"Yeah. How's your head?"

She managed to get her eyes open, and she was staring straight up at the half-demon's face. Her head was rested in his lap- his jacket was draped over her, and he was holding her tightly. "Where…are we?"

"Koga's car. He's taking us to Lady Kaede's house," Inuyasha told her softly. Nodding, she turned her head so the lights of the dashboard, that seemed to be fifty million times brighter with a throbbing head, did not make her head hurt even more.

"I'm sorry."

She frowned, still groggy from the blow to her head. "For what?"

"You'll never get hurt again under my watch, ever again."

She glanced up at his face- he looked angry and was so still, he could have been carved from stone. It seemed that she would not get anything else from him. Sighing lightly, she curled up and slept, not noticing with Inuyasha lightly ran a thumb down her cheek.

--

**You know what to do.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine  
The Jewel**

When she woke up, she was greeted for the second time by a bare chest- it was of the same Hanyou, but it had a different effect. He was so warm. Cuddling closer, she closed her eyes again. Maybe if he didn't know she was awake, he would stay and keep her warm longer…

"Kagome?"

He had seen- she should have known. Not moving, she opened her eyes. "Hmm?"

"You feel okay?"

"My head hurts, but otherwise I'm okay."

"Good."

"Where are we?" she asked, glad he had not made her move.

"Kaede's house. They plan on sending us somewhere, trying to find a place where Naraku won't get you. And they're looking up reasons why he would be so interested in you."

Inuyasha himself was surprisingly comfortable- he had been in many beds with many women, but never so intimately; except for maybe Kikyo, but that was a long time ago. It was strange, feeling so comfortable after a night of just watching her. Usually, he was gone before the woman woke up or he kicked her out as soon as she got up.

"Inuyasha?"

"What?" he asked, rolling over on his back and allowing Kagome to lie beside him.

"I'm sorry I'm such a burden."

He looked down at her, but her eyes were closed again. She must be talking about yesterday- when he called her a responsibility, making her sound like a liability. He said nothing- he wasn't comfortable enough to tell her that he didn't think of her that way- he was getting there, maybe. Unless something went wrong, like it always did.

There was silence for a few minutes before Kaede came in, carrying a tray of food. "Kagome, I'm glad to see your up. I'm sorry, I don't have another extra bed…he insisted."

Kagome smiled smally and sat up, noticing Inuyasha's hovering hand to offer assistance as needed. "I'm fine, Inuyasha," she said looking at him before looking at Kaede. "It's fine," she added, nodding. "He's warm."

"Keh." Inuyasha took a bite of the food Kaede sat down and shrugged. "I wanted to make sure nothing got by me again. Being in another room seems to be to far away for her not to get in trouble."

Kagome glared momentarily before tearing off a piece of toast. "It's not my fault."

Kaede sat down on a chair beside the bed, scratching her face absently. "Actually, Kagome, I think it's your family's."

Looking up sharply, Kagome's eyes widened. "What about them?"

"Your grandfather owned a shrine," Kaede said, wanting proof of that fact.

"Yes," Kagome replied, nodding. "He died two years ago- we sold the shrine and everything. My mother didn't want to deal with it, and my brother isn't interested in any of the old ways. I wanted to be a nurse, so I couldn't take care of it. I think it's more like a store thing now, a tourist trap."

"You didn't sell everything," Kaede replied, pulling paper from her dress pocket. "The records say that you kept some of the items."

"Yes…some things my grandfather didn't want me to sell, he babbled on about them all the time. They are supposed to be really powerful and everything, if you believe in all that," Kagome replied, shaking her head and not seeing the relevancy of it all. "They're useless."

"Not according to ledged, and not according to demons," Kaede said. "Where did you put these items, Kagome? They weren't in your apartment."

"No…my grandfather wanted them locked away." Kagome frowned, pulling toast apart. "Is that what Naraku wants? That old junk?"

"No, he wants the jewel." Kagome just stared- her grandfather had gone on and on about some jewel when he was alive, but she hardly ever listened. "The Shikon Jewel. The jewel that makes the user all-powerful, if you know how to wield it. It can make Hanyou's full human or demon; it can make demons even more powerful. It can do virtually anything if used properly."

"I doubt it's true. Its just legend…"

"The old demons remember times when a Miko lost her life to save it. There were demons that ruled with it, Kagome, and I think Naraku knows how to do so."

Inuyasha had been silent up until this point, but he finally spoke. "It makes half-demons full-demon?" he inquired, not eating for once. "Does it work?"

Kaede just looked at the silver-haired male, pity lining her face. "We need to get that jewel from where you are keeping it, Kagome," she said, turning her head back to the raven haired girl. "We have to destroy it. It's the only way to keep it from anyone's hand that plans on using it for bad deeds. I doubt any demon needs to have more power in this day and age."

Kagome nodded, shocked that a jewel she thought was worthless was causing all the trouble. "It's just an old relic…I doubt it even works, and this Naraku is doing all this for no point."

Inuyasha made an annoyed sound and got up, grabbing his pants from the floor. Noticing his face, Kagome saw a look on his face that she didn't recognize- he was obviously thinking, which might have been why she had never seen it before.

"Inuyasha? What's the matter?" He didn't answer Kagome as he left the room, not bothering to find a shirt.

Kaede watched him go with sad eyes. "Whatever ye do, Kagome, keep him from using that jewel on himself. Inuyasha has forever wanted to be a full demon…I fear that want will turn him against even Miroku and Sango. But he seems to have a soft spot for you…"She trailed off and Kagome stared at her, studying her worried face. "No good would come from him being full demon," Kaede said, rising. "Try, Kagome." Then she nodded, taking away the tray. "Now get ready, child. There is a dress there that you can wear- it's your size, I borrowed it from the neighbor. We are going to wherever you have this jewel."

--

Kagome kept the box tightly in her hands, sitting behind Inuyasha as he drove. "What are we going to do with this?" she asked, not wanting to open the box- she didn't know what effect it would have on Inuyasha and she didn't want to temp him, whether it worked or not. If Naraku went to these measures to get it, obviously it had some power.

"We are going to see Myoga," Kaede said. "He knows of the old legends. We are meeting up with a guard, just in case. Sango and Miroku will come, though they know they will be of little use. The wolf tribe had agreed to come- or at least, Koga and one other demon. Then anyone else that Sesshomaru assigned to duty."

Kagome was surprised, and she met Inuyasha's eye in the rearview mirror. "It sounds like a big production, just for this…"

"It's become less of a problem just amongst gangs, but more of a problem for the entirety of Japan and even the world," Kaede replied. "If Naraku got that jewel…"

"The entire earth would be screwed." Inuyasha spoke, driving to fast as they headed out of the city again.

"Yes," Kaede said, nodding her head gravely. "It must be avoided."

They pulled up to yet another house, though this one was neither grand nor run-down; simply somewhere in the middle. Myoga came out of the house and greeted Inuyasha warmly, who seemed annoyed by the entire situation.

"Myoga," Kaede said, greeting him. "We need to know how to be rid of a sacred jewel- it must be destroyed."

He was about to respond when another car pulled up- a large SUV- and Koga got out of the drivers seat. Hakkaku was in the other, and the wolf went to open the back seat, stretching out an arm to let Sango out.

"Those are extra hands if needed," Kaede said, nodding gravely. "Sadly, Naraku has been harassing us all in search of the Shikon Jewel."

Myoga stared, surprised, and glanced at Kagome. "The Shikon Jewel?" he asked, his voice high and excited. "Oh yes, that must be kept from Naraku's hands- if he got it, the entire world would be doomed!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, heading inside. "We all know that," he said darkly, not even greeting Miroku and Sango- it was very obvious something was bothering the half-demon.

Kagome watched him go, still holding the box to her chest. Was it something about the jewel? Ever since Kaede had mentioned it, he had been like this…moodier than his usual moody, which was odd.

Koga came up, following Kagome's gaze. "He's not worth it," Koga said, taking Kagome's hands. "I would take better care of you."

Kagome sighed, looking back towards the wolf demon. "It's not like that, Koga. Inuyasha doesn't like me like that. Or at least, I don't think so…I'm only a responsibility to him." She noted the sadness that she tried to hide in her voice, and obviously Koga noticed it too.

"You should focus on people that would love you," Koga said, putting a finger under her chin to make her look up.

Sango came over, leaning on her one crutch. "Inuyasha's watching," she said quietly, looking at the house- the Hanyou watched with burning eyes, darting between Koga, Kagome, and the box locked in her arms. "He looks so angry…Angrier than usual, at least."

Koga smiled arrogantly, drawing himself up. "He knows I'm a threat." About to speak to Kagome, she just went over to Miroku. Helping him up, he leaned on her as they managed to get him up the porch steps- Inuyasha opened the screen door, holding it for them.

As they walked past him, Kagome could have swore she heard him utter a threat to the monk- "You touch her, I'll take off your hand" – as well as Miroku moving his free hand from behind his back and paling a little under his tan.

Kagome hid her annoyance- sometimes it was like he cared for her, sometimes it was like he didn't give a shit. She wished he would make up his mind.

Everyone except Koga and Hakkaku came into the house. They stayed outside, scouting and listening for danger. Myoga was searching his books for stories about the Jewel while Kaede helped, and Kagome, Sango, and Miroku sat in the living room amusing themselves. Inuyasha, however, stood away from them, staring out the window.

Myoga finally stood up, his voice excited when he spoke. "How to destroy the jewel!" he said, his eyes darting back and forth as he read. His face fell slightly and he settled back in his seat, not noticing all eyes were boring into him, waiting for him to continue- except Inuyasha, who made no movement to show he had heard anything at all.

"The jewel can only be destroyed by the family line that created it," Myoga said. "Any records of the Miko's family tree were supposedly destroyed…Burned, in a great fire in the 1800s, but there may be some records at the Old Library in Kyoto." He paused again, his eyes searching for something on the pages. "The jewel can be burned with the body, or the woman or man can simply wish it away."

"Surely any sane person would choose that option," Miroku said, frowning at the vast differences between the two methods.

"There is a price. When the jewel is wished away, it disappears- and so will the wisher." He cleared his throat. "Plus, the jewel holds great power- only the purest of the pure will be able to wish such a thing away, most would have thoughts of using the jewel for their gain and power."

"So only true souls would be able to wish such a thing," Sango said. "Pure at heart with no hint of greed in them."

"Or at least little enough to where they can evade the power of the Shikon jewel," Kaede said, sighing. "We had best hope that this Miko's ancestry line are all very, very kindhearted and generous. Is there any way of knowing who the ancestry line is?"

"Well, the Miko who created the jewel's name was Midoriko," Myoga said. "If we go to a library and search the oldest records, maybe we can trace the family tree up to a point where we can trace it to this time."

Kagome sighed in something of relief- now, at least, they had hope and they knew what Naraku was up to. "Good. The sooner the jewel gets destroyed, the better."

Sango nodded. "Yes. I don't think he is going to ease up on us until he gets his hands on Kagome," she said, but she eyed the box. "We'll have to be extra careful now."

Kaede stood, her hands braced behind her back. "Myoga and I will visit the Old Library- it holds the oldest records of families in Japan. We will search and call you immediately if anything is found out."

Myoga nodded and disappeared, running to gather things for the trip. Kaede headed towards the door, turning when she got there. "Guard that jewel with your life, Kagome Higurashi. Let nothing tainted touch it. You're as kindhearted as they come." Kagome blushed at the compliment and nodded, fiddling with the hem of her skirt. "Inuyasha." The half-demon turned and glared at the old woman, hands crossed across his chest. "You guard her with your life. Even though she would have gotten involved in this regardless of you or not, she's still your responsibility."

Kagome turned her head away at the word 'responsibility'- is that what she was to everyone these days? Inuyasha snorted, turning back towards the window. "Nothings gonna touch her, old woman, when she's with me. Don't worry yourself into a heart attack."

There he went, being protective again- because of his responsibility to her. Kagome sighed and ran her finger lightly along the box, looking up as Myoga came in.

"As far as I know, Naraku does not even know I exist," he said, his nasal voice getting to Inuyasha's head. "I do not come up on any of your records, as that is how your father wanted it. You may stay at my house, because no one knows this is here, either, except those I trust with my address."

Sango stood, leaning on her crutch, and helped Miroku to his feet. "We'll go back to Sesshomaru and update him. If all three of us disappear, Naraku will suspect something."

"We've got spies everywhere," Miroku added. "When they make a move, we will know. We'll keep you updated, and try not to leave the house very often."

"I feel like an animal trapped in a cage or some shit," Inuyasha muttered darkly. "Seems like I'm always hiding, and I fucking hate it."

He slammed his fist against the wall and turned, going down a hallway towards the rooms. Everyone watched him until they saw him go into a room, slamming the door.

"He'll cool down," Kaede said, sounding sure of herself. "Be careful, child. The hospital needs you."

Kagome gave Sango another hug, bending down to give Miroku one as well. "I'm sorry guys," she said- what if something happened and she never saw them again?

"Don't apologize. We'll kill Naraku and you'll be free to go about your business," Sango said, heading for the door. "Be careful with that dog back there," she added loudly, hoping Inuyasha would hear.

"He'll be okay…he always is," Kagome said, sighing as they all left. "Just…watch yourselves."

"Don't worry about us, worry about you. You're the one Naraku wants dead," Miroku reminded her, pausing as he was halfway through the door. "Don't do anything drastic, and pass that message to our dear Hanyou."

--

**Read and review. (:**


	10. Chapter 10

**So summer's gotten way busy, so my updates aren't going to come as regularly.  
Anyways, here's chapter 10. (:**

**Disclaimer: Don't own anything.**

**Read and review.**

**--**

**Chapter Ten  
Relocating, Again**

Two weeks with no word from anyone- no calls, no letters, no signals, no news. The TV news was even more unhelpful, as the unsuspecting innocents of Japan heard no word of the war brewing amongst the biggest gangs in Tokyo. For once, it was almost as if Sesshomaru and Koga's groups were working for the good of people, trying to keep everything from collapsing instead of making it collapse. Stopping the killing instead of killing, stopping the stealing instead of stealing, the whole deal.

Kagome might not have minded all this if it weren't for her housemate. She was saving the people by keeping out of everything, by just disappearing. She was keeping the jewel safe, and in turn keeping everyone else safe. But Inuyasha…ever since they had left and given no word, even since he had heard about the jewel, he had been moody. He had stayed in his room, coming out only to eat. He treated her like shit.

It was seriously irritating and rude. She had surprised herself for maybe beginning to fall for him, and now she regretted any ounce of like for him she had. Two weeks of stony silences, rude glares, doors slamming in your face, cleaning up after a very messy person, and being alone with a seething Hanyou in the other room could do that to a person.

Sighing, Kagome threw more clothes into the laundry. She had not even bothered with asking Inuyasha's for his- he could do his when he wanted to, which obviously wasn't when she was around. In fact, she had gotten so used to being alone she did not even bothering dressing decently- she dressed like any girl would when lounging around her house, not bothered by anyone. Comfortable, short-short black cloth shorts she had found in Myoga's daughter's room- she was thirty-one now, Kagome didn't think she would mind- and a white spaghetti strap, which showed a strip of her midriff. It seemed that Myoga's daughter had inherited her father's height, or lack thereof.

Turning on the washer, Kagome grabbed her bowl of popcorn and went and fell on the couch, watching _Megane, _a movie she had already seen and adored- a usual point in her routine. Movies, cleaning, laundry, arranging things, Myoga's limited music tastes. She was going in a circle.

Naturally, she was scared when she heard a noise- Inuyasha's door; she was so used to the creaking of it echoing at night she knew it by heart. But why was he coming out? Was it him?

Isolation was giving her an ever-increasing bout of paranoia.

Getting up on her knees, Kagome's mouth froze mid-chew as she waited, padded footsteps coming down the hall. Then a silver-haired male appeared and she sighed in relief, falling back against the hard couch.

"Keh. What the hell are you scared of, wench?" Inuyasha demanded, getting out a bag of chips from the cupboard. "You know I'm the only one here."

"Oh, so you're talking now, are you?" Kagome asked irritably. "I wasn't aware. Nor was I aware that you were actually here, you never make yourself known. For all I know you could be dead."

"Nah, you'd know. Dead people smell." He allowed himself a ghost of a grin as she snorted. "And I wouldn't just leave you alone, stupid." He came over to sit on the couch, and she moved over to make room for him. Myoga needed only a loveseat, small even for a two-seater. Curling up, she offered him the popcorn bowl, something he took without hesitation. Food seemed key in every minute of his life.

"Can't we watch something more…entertaining?" he complained after about ten minutes and five handfuls of popcorn.

"He has three channels and fourteen movies," she replied, gesturing to the newly organized and limited collection. "Most of them old flicks no one has heard of or ones that aren't all action, much like this one."

"Damn."

"You're telling me. I've watched all of them three times."

Inuyasha snorted and made himself more comfortable, leaning back against the couch. He wanted to stretch out but Kagome was there- his bed was extremely uncomfortable even if he had been able to sleep in the first place. Thinking had seemed to wake him up every five minutes; he had not slept soundly in the two weeks they had been here.

Yawning, he placed the empty popcorn bowl on the floor and looked up, meeting Kagome's eyes as she watched him.

"As much time as you spend in your room, I'm surprised you're tired," Kagome said lightly.

"Hah," Inuyasha snorted, rubbing his face. "I haven't slept right in days. The beds uncomfortable, and this isn't much better."

Kagome looked at him, and then shrugged. "You've slept with me before, without…you know..."

"…Great observation, I'm glad you aren't stupid."

"Lay down," she said, perching on the side of the couch. He froze, unsure of what to do. Sure he had lain with her before, but she had only gotten so close because she moved towards him. And she had been asleep, which made the difference. But to stretch out on something more comfortable than his bed- and Kagome wasn't uncomfortable herself, either.

Making a sound he hoped sounded irritated, he laid down, freezing as she laid down right beside him. He could smell her perfectly, with her hair touching his nose; almost instinctively, he wrapped a hand around her waist and drew her closer, his fingers gently tracing the small strip of stomach that peeked through. It was Kagome's turn to freeze- she was not used to being held so closely, so…intimately?

No, he was just tired. Surely that was it.

Kagome focused on the movie, not on the fingers rested on her skin or the warmth at her back. Soon enough, though, Inuyasha's breath came even in a comforting rhythm- she found herself being lulled to sleep, curling into the warmth.

--

Inuyasha awoke with his arm still around Kagome's waist- the only difference was that he was on his back, Kagome halfway across his chest, her arm draped over his own waist. It despised himself for finding it so comfortable.

Using his free arm, he stretched up, careful not to jostle the sleeping girl. Relaxing again, he studied her face- it was so content, so innocent. He was already befouling her innocence; he didn't need to fall in love with her, too. She was just so easy to trust- as if he knew that she would die before betraying his confidence. And she made an effort to actually talk to him; the first week, she never stopped trying to draw him out of his room.

He looked over her head at the clock, surprised to find it was almost nine the next morning. They had slept like this for fourteen hours, soundless and restful. The back of his mind screamed that it was because of her he slept so well, but he pushed that thought from his mind.

He looked back down at her as she stirred, turning her head as she stretched her arms. "Inuyasha?" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

"What?"

"Did you sleep okay?" Concerned with the welfare of others, as usual.

He nodded as she settled down again, still resting across his chest. "Yeah."

"Good."

The silence wasn't awkward, just quiet. Finally an obnoxious clock on the wall made them move, Kagome slowly sitting up first and stretching her own arms. "Hopefully we'll get news today…It's been two weeks. You don't think that anything is wrong, do you?"

Inuyasha shrugged, heading towards the small kitchen. "I doubt it. If anything had happened to Miroku or Sango, even the news would know by now…As for the old woman and Myoga, they probably haven't found anything yet. That's a long line to trace."

Kagome nodded and watched him for a moment, his movements of grabbing cereal and ruffling his silver hair. He was very attractive, and when he let his guard down, she found it easy for her to fall for him. Last night didn't help, considering they had both been very comfortable; both had actually slept, which was saying a lot.

But she couldn't be with him, not after all this was over. She didn't like his way of life- she hated it. He wouldn't change it, either, she knew that. So it couldn't work. She was getting closer to him when she knew that eventually, they would just be ripped apart.

"I'm going to get in the shower," Kagome said, going down the hallway.

--

Shaking her hair out, Kagome walked down the hall- Inuyasha was on the phone, she could hear him talking. Going into the kitchen, she leaned against the counter and ran her fingers through her hair slowly as Inuyasha spoke, his back to her.

"Disappeared? What the fuck do you mean, disappeared?" A pause- she could hear a male's voice speaking on the other end, but not clear enough to tell who it was. "Yeah, alright. I don't know…" He glanced at Kagome over his shoulder, studying her face. "It's a risk." He paused again and sighed, turning around and rubbing his face. "No, no word yet. Kaede said she'd call when they found something, so." He nodded and looked at Kagome again, who had moved to stand next to him. "See you." Hanging up, he didn't need to be asked for an explanation by the imploring look on her face.

"Naraku's disappeared. Just…gone. For a week and a half now. No one has seen activity from anyone that has been related to him, his headquarters are all cleared out. No one has heard from Kaede or Myoga, so we don't know what's up with them," Inuyasha said, putting the phone back on the base. "Miroku thinks that we should go somewhere they know so Naraku will come back out. Even Sesshomaru thinks that is why Naraku is gone. He's waiting, and he's pissed he can't find the jewel."

"He knows we have it." Kagome stared at him, fear riddling her brain slightly.

"Seems there was a snitch at the bank." Inuyasha cracked his knuckles. "Get packed, we leave in five minutes."

"We are going back to the city?" Kagome demanded, her heart skipping a beat. "That's suicide!"

Inuyasha made a face at her, grabbing the plastic bags they had saved and shoving food in them. "No. We are going back to the country house so he gets a glimpse of us. He won't attack yet."

"Why?"

"He wants us to feel safe, secured. My guess is that he will stay down for another two weeks or so, let us get our guard down."

"Oh."

"Now move, wench."

--

She was curled on the couch when he came out of the shower- he could tell by her expression she was tired of jumping from place to place. She was tired of all this running, but she knew that she couldn't stop. If she went back her life, Naraku would find some way to get her alone. Inuyasha couldn't be by her side twenty-four seven if they had regular lives to attend to; they both had jobs, friends, lives. It would be impossible to keep the jewel from his hands.

Inuyasha fell down on the couch beside her, coaxing a smile from her when she saw the disarrayed wet strands all over the place. "Do you ever brush your hair?" she asked, a brow lifted.

He just grunted in reply, turning on the TV. "Takes to much time."

"Your hair is so pretty, though. You should take care of it."

"I use detangler conditioner or whatever that shit is called," he replied nonchalantly, sparing her a small glance. "It's fine."

She paused for a moment, staring at him- he pretended not to notice. "Can I brush it?"

"What?"

"Can I brush your hair?" she asked again, slowly. She wanted to feel how soft it was, and his ears…

"No." He ignored her as she came closer, pleading in her eyes. He could never resist the pleading, it was better not to look.

"Please? I'm so bored and I don't want to watch TV, and..." She trailed off, nothing more to list.

"Fine! Just shut up so I can watch TV. God damn."

Kagome smiled and jumped off, following the hallway into the bathroom.

In there, a man was waiting for her- he had a small pout on his face, and purple triangles leading from his eyes. "I always get sent to do the dirty work, you know that?" he asked, his voice light. "I hate touching girls."

Kagome opened her mouth to scream just before she was cut off, his hand over his mouth- and a steel-man thing burst through the wall so they would have a way to escape.

Inuyasha's ears twitched when he heard the beginning of Kagome's scream, and he was already at the bathroom when the metal thing crashed through the wall. Damn it, he had been wrong- obviously, Naraku didn't need them to have a break.

"You fucking let go of her, you bastard," Inuyasha snarled, jumping after the smaller man as he dashed through the hole in the wall.

The man laughed, depositing Kagome on the ground by a tree. "Of course," he said, smiling and winking at Inuyasha. "I'll let Ginkotsu take care of her while I deal with you, pretty boy."

"Fuck you," Inuyasha snapped. "And if you don't mind, neither of you will be taking her." He jumped towards Kagome, who cowered against the tree as the metal monster came at her. The other one laughed, slinging something towards the Hanyou and making something hard and bright crash into his sides, sending him sprawling.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed his name, wanting him to get up- but when he moved, the man just slashed out at him again, laughing as her half-demon fell to the floor again, his back slashed in pieces. She looked at the moving metal coming towards her and jumped to her feet, dashing towards the trees- she just prayed that the metal thing couldn't move fast because of his size and bulk, or she was screwed.


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry for the wait, guys. (: Here you go, chapter 11.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

--

**Chapter Eleven  
With Danger Comes...Affection?**

Inuyasha watched as Kagome disappeared through the trees, the metal monster going in after her. Myoga lived near a government base so he could keep his whereabouts a secret; if Kagome kept running, she would run into a fence and be trapped. He would have to hurry and kill this man or Kagome would be caught in the hands of the metal freak.

The man laughed as Inuyasha finally got to his feet, giving the lashings a break. "Who the hell are you?" Inuyasha asked, anger shaking his voice.

Laughing again, the man leaned against the weapon that caused the attack- a sword. Inuyasha snorted when he saw- no one used swords now, they were so…barbaric. Obviously this piece of shit had missed the memo.

"My name is Jakotsu," he declared, a smile twisting his lips. "It's been awhile since I have fought someone so…attractive." He swung his sword up and lashed out again, but Inuyasha was ready enough to jump to the side.

"Did Naraku send you?" He had to know before he tore out the man's throat- if Naraku was getting the aide of humans- and Jakotsu was human, Inuyasha could smell it- then Sesshomaru had to be warned.

"Naraku paid us," Jakotsu said, collecting the blades back together in his sword. "Me and my brother's are mercenaries. It's rather enjoyable, but people are hesitant to hire us because of our methods." Twisting on his heels, he slashed out again towards Inuyasha, who barely dodged the flying blades.

Running towards the trees, Inuyasha braced his feet against the trunk and launched himself into Jakotsu's stomach as he was getting his sword together. Not giving the man time to think, Inuyasha slammed his fist into Jakotsu's chin and his foot into his side, getting him down. "You tell Naraku he picked a fight with the wrong people," Inuyasha snarled into Jakotsu's face. "We will kill him."

He jumped off Jakotsu's face and let the man get up before flexing his claws, chuckling darkly before slashing at Jakotsu's chest. He easily sliced Jakotsu from his shoulder and across his abdomen, ripping the flesh. He smelt the blood and backed off, not wanting to kill him- someone needed to warn Naraku, and killing him would take more time- and Kagome was still out there, alone.

Jakotsu laughed darkly, spitting blood out onto the ground. Leaning against his sword, he looked up at Inuyasha- his hair was falling from his bun, and his breathing was uneven and sharp. "I look forward to our next fight, lovely Inuyasha. I will not underestimate you next time."

Backing off so Inuyasha could not surprise attack him, Jakotsu disappeared into the trees- and Inuyasha let him go, turning sharply to follow Kagome.

--

Kagome stumbled through the forest, her hands flailing in front of her as she ripped branches and twigs away from her face. She had to keep moving and dodging as the trees were tightly packed together; she could not go in a straight path, and she didn't want to risk taking a few precious moments to try and squeeze through tight gaps.

She took a deep breath and paused for a moment- surely she had outrun the large, clanking machine-man to an extent; listening, she gasped when she heard a rumbling and crashes, much closer than she had expected. It sounded like he was merely going over the trees, not around them. Turning on her heel, Kagome ran again, tripping over roots she couldn't see and getting scratched by twigs and bushes.

She noticed the edge of the trees, and her heart sputtered- a clearing, maybe she could confuse him. Suddenly she ran into a chain-link fence, bouncing back onto her back and falling on her leg as she landed, her mouth opening to emit an involuntary groan of pain. She mentally cursed herself and heaved herself up, rubbing her aching back- her leg was sending up spasms of pain; she must have fallen on it in a weird way.

She looked up and whimpered as the metal thing came towards her, the shadow shaping amongst the trees. She gingerly put her foot down, testing it- she wouldn't be able to outrun him. Her head snapped up when she heard a boom, two lights blazing around where his head should be. Instinctively, she fell to the ground and covered her head, with two large bullets forming holes in the fence above her.

Her heart was beating like mad as she got up again, trying to hobble along the fence. She heard the cracks of more trees being knocked over, and she knew that he was out of the forest- but she knew that with his guns, it didn't matter how fast she was able to run.

She fell to the ground again when she heard the loud cracks, the bullets whizzing closer so she could feel the ruffle on her hair and clothing. "Inuyasha!" she yelled, hoping that he had gotten by the other one already. "Please, hurry…" She pushed herself up again, only to fall against the fence as the metal-thing fired again.

Like he had heard, Inuyasha jumped through the trees, holding a tree branch. "Leave her alone, you metal piece of shit," Inuyasha snarled, hurling a tree branch at the things head. Distracted, the monster turned to see the half-demon clearly; he was obviously not the smartest of things. The branch caused the thing to pause for a second, almost as if he was allowing the pain to sink into his thick skull.

Knowing that his own strength wouldn't be enough to finish off the monster, Inuyasha disappeared and reappeared with another branch, jumping down and slamming it into one of his cannons. Pushing off the large shoulders, Inuyasha pushed himself up and came down on the other, all his weight put behind his feet. The metal bent under the pressure, and both his guns became useless.

Jumping off of the metal things back, Inuyasha glared at him, his stance protective in front of Kagome. "Who- and what- the fuck are you?" he demanded, his eyes flashing.

A dark, scratchy chuckle came from the thing's distorted mouth. "Ginkotsu."

"Well, Ginkotsu, I hope Naraku was worth it. You won't be seeing him again." Inuyasha ran to the side and disappeared into the trees, and a snap could be heard as he got himself another tree branch. He came out and slammed it onto Ginkotsu's head- the monster may have been able to handle himself in the forest, rolling straight and just smashing things, but in a small clearing, he was almost trapped. He couldn't turn easily, and he wasn't fast enough to outrun the half-demon.

The thing made a noise that Inuyasha guessed was of pain, and before Inuyasha knew what happened, sharp spinning blades flew from hidden places on his metal body. The half demon sprang back and grabbed Kagome, shielding her from the blades- he ignored the cutting in his flesh as one stuck him, getting her hidden in the trees.

Without a word to her, he leaped back out into the clearing, slamming his fist into the place the blades came from. As a thing made from metal, he was made of parts- and parts could be separately destroyed until he entire product was ruined. As he was yanking his fist from a nest of mangled metal, Inuyasha was thrown backwards as a hook snagged his robe and dragged him backwards. Another came and tore at his skin, opening a bleeding gash.

"You…fucker…" Inuyasha gasped, wrenching the hook from his skin. Rolling to the side as the other hook came at him, he grabbed at the string that connected it to Ginkotsu, cursing and pulling his hand back as the metal thread cut through his hand, dripping blood. In his moment of inattentiveness, the other hook came and slashed him across the face.

"Hey! Metal monster!" Kagome appeared between the trees, brandishing a stick that she could barely manage to carry. The stupid thing turned, making a noise that Inuyasha assumed said he was confused- and started rolling towards the nurse. Kagome raised the branch threw it, and the branch barely nicked the thing's shoulder as the hooks lashed out- and it sounded like he was laughing.

Inuyasha felt his heart pang and leaped forward, tackling Kagome to the ground. Jumping up again, he felt rage pump through his veins and grabbed the same branch, slamming it down into his head. Raising his claws, Inuyasha slashed at the throat that was exposed as the thing's head turned, searching the trees for Kagome.

"Never turn away from your fight," Inuyasha growled, turning his back on the head that was decapitated from its body, the metal jaw hanging lax from the severed head.

Kagome was huddled at the base of the tree, staring at the sight- the blood, the mess. The fallen trees, the broken branches. She could feel herself shaking, blinking as Inuyasha obscured her vision and fell to his knees in front of her. She blinked again and focused, gingerly rising to her knees when she saw the cuts, her hands reaching out to gently touch his bleeding face.

"You're hurt," she said, her head clearing- she focused on her Hanyou's scratches and gashes, the blood drying onto his clothes.

He didn't say anything- he was breathing harder, his hands clenched at his sides. In sudden movement, Inuyasha firmly grabbed the sides of her neck and brought their lips together, his lips molding roughly to hers. The kiss was hungry, his lips moving urgently- when he pulled them apart, Kagome stared frozen in shock and his hands never left her neck.

"Don't you ever fucking put yourself in danger like that, do you fucking understand me?" he asked her gruffly, his voice low and husky. "You…" He trailed off, pulling her to him again for another kiss; this one was softer, his lips moving gently against hers. Her sense came back enough to kiss him back, moving so she could wrap her arms securely around his neck, pressing their forms together. His tongue brushed against her lips and they automatically parted, allowing him the entrance he wanted- their tongues did a sweet dance as he stood, wanting to get back to the cabin for cover.

As Inuyasha navigated, Kagome pulled herself free for air. She allowed herself to be carried bridal style, her head rested on his shoulder- she would look at his wounds later, when her head wasn't reeling and her lips weren't throbbing.

--

Kagome was curled on the couch, listening as Inuyasha spoke on the phone in low tones. A first aid kit was sitting on Myoga's table, ready for any use she might need. She sat up as Inuyasha came over, getting onto her knees. "Take off your shirt."

"Holy shit, wench. One kiss and you already want action." But he stripped anyway, knowing she wouldn't let up until he allowed her further examination of his wounds. Kagome ignored his comment and kneeled beside him, using the rag to wash the large gashes on his chest that were now just mere cuts. "You're hurt, too, remember?"

"My leg is fine." She studied his wounds, gently tracing one- he grabbed her wrist before she could run her finger down the entirety of the cut, his bangs covering his eyes when she looked up. "I forget how fast you heal," she said, putting the only faintly pink rag back with the kit. "It's unnerving-"

She gasped when she was pinned down to the couch, his hands braced on either side of her. "Miroku is sending someone to pick us up. We're moving again," he whispered into her ear, kissing the hollow right underneath her earlobe. Trailing kisses down her neck, he ran his nose across her collar bone and his hands roamed up her sides.

Kagome trembled slightly, unused to having this attention- her one boyfriend, Hojo, had been extremely conservative. She had kissed him- actually kissed him with tongues- maybe twice, even though they dated for almost two years. She had never been kissed anywhere except the cheek and the lips, and her body was definitely not used to the touching.

Not to say she didn't enjoy it. A small shiver went up her spine as he gently sucked on her collarbone, leading another trail up to her neck. His sharp canine's nipped at her sensitive skin before he went up her jaw line, heading for her lips. Their bodies were molded together- Kagome's arms around his neck, at ease with her form snugly pressed against his. It was all the better when he kissed her again, his lips trailing over hers, their tongues mingling. The kiss got more urgent as it continued, and as she pulled away for air again, he gently bit her lower lip.

He shifted so he was lying on the couch, Kagome trapped between the couch wall of cushions and his body. Keeping one arm around her, he was in close enough proximity that he could kiss her when he wanted- and she didn't mind, her arm draped casually over his waist.

"Inuyasha, I…" She trailed off, unsure if she wanted to continue.

"What?" his voice was soft as he spoke, but the word was a demand none-the-less.

"I- Why did…" She paused as she chose the words, finally forming a statement. "You always act indifferent to me, and then like you care. Then uncaring, and caring again."

She was asking if this was a thing where he had just been scared for her life, if this was going to end in the morning- he knew that from her statement. "When you ran into the forest, then later when you came out, brandishing a stick like you thought you could actually do some damage-" she smiled sheepishly, aware of the stupidity- "I wasn't scared. I was petrified, terrified of losing you- I didn't know what that monster had up his sleeve to kill you. My heart stopped, and I knew that if I couldn't save you…" He paused, not good at the gushing emotions. His meter had almost run full for today. "I can't lose you, Kagome. I can't."

Kagome smiled, her fingers lightly drawing pictures in his bare skin- she curled closer, pressing cold toes against his leg. "Then I won't leave."

Inuyasha shrugged. "If you did, I'd follow. You get into trouble without me."

Kagome sucked in some air, protest ready at her lips. "I'm a big girl; I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, thank you!"

Inuyasha failed at suppressing a chuckle. Using a finger to tilt her head towards him, he gently kissed her, easing her irritation with her lips. She succumbed easily, falling into his hands like putty. "Go to sleep, wench."

**--**

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